TENBURY has shown its gratitude to its twin town in France for the help it gave during floods in Tenbury in 2020.

People were left stranded in their homes and had to be rescued by the emergency services after Storm Dennis hit in February.

Severe flood warning were issued for Tenbury Wells, meaning water levels there posed a threat to life.

Car were left marooned in the street and an emergency command and reception centre was set up at Tenbury High School that proved a lifeline for many people.

There was not a business in the centre of the town that was affected by the flood that turned Teme Street into a river, while dozens of homes were also flooded. 

The flooding also resulted in tragedy after 55-year-old Yvonne Booth from Great Barr in Birmingham was washed into the roaring river Teme.

Her body was found days later after a search and rescue operation.

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The people of twin town Pont-du-Casse had a whip-round when they heard of Tenbury’s plight as a result of Storm Dennis, raising nearly six thousand pounds. This was then distributed to needy local households by the church.

Now Tenbury’s former mayor Eric Hudson has presented Pont-du-Casse deputy mayor Marie-Françoise Meynard with a painting of Tenbury Bridge in thanks.

The painting was Kingswinford artist Ian Tompkins, who asked that his £250 fee be given to Prostate Cancer UK.

Around 30 Cassipontins, as the French townspeople are known, stayed with local hosts over the weekend of August 4 to 7, in a tradition of exchanges going back nearly four decades.

Among the activities laid on for them was a visit to the Tenbury Agricultural Show, where they met show president Anthony Bunn, a trip to Powis Castle, Welshpool, and a choral mini-concert at St Michael’s church.

Tenbury Wells French Twinning Association hopes to return to Pont-du-Casse in 2025 to mark the 40th anniversary of the bond between the two towns.