And, at the weekend, the tradition was kept alive when members and friends of Mildenhall and District Town Twinning Association crossed the English Channel to visit their counterparts in Luc sur Mer.

Although families from the two towns have been visiting each other for decades, the bond was not officially sealed until April 1993, when a twinning charter was signed.

For many of the 35-strong group who made the trip, it was the first time they had met their European twins.

Tony Bristow, chairman of the association, said: "The families are so friendly and welcoming. We struggle to speak French and they struggle to speak English, but we get along fine.

"We enjoy the visits and benefit from learning about each other. There's so much history that, after 30 years, we're still not bored of coming here."

Luc sur Mer, apart from being famous due to a large whale which washed up on its shore in the 1890s, is also known for being in the middle of the Normandy landing beaches and visitors got the chance to see the wreckage of the Arromanches harbour – a makeshift structure created during the D-Day landings.

Memorials to the first men who parachuted in at nearby Pegasus Bridge to liberate the French people also featured on the guided tour.

A wreath was laid at Luc sur Mer's war memorial in honour of those who died during the landmark military operation, by Mildenhall parish councillor John Barker.

Another highlight of the weekend was a musical concert at the town's theatre – Le Drakkar – where children from Riverside Middle School and St Mary's Primary School, in Mildenhall, joined with pupils of Luc sur Mer's school of music to play a one-off concert.

Other activities included the English guests being treated to a spot of French bowls and to a four-course meal, where gifts between the two twinning associations and Luc sur Mer's mayor Patrick Laurent and Mildenhall Parish Council chairman Teresa-Ann Gooch-Taylor-Balls, were exchanged.

Mme Francine Hachette, president of Luc sur Mer Twinning Association, said she hoped her English friends could stay for longer next time.

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