OLD friends met and new acquaintances were made when Lyme Regis twinners made the annual visit to St George's in Bermuda.

A group of eight travelled to the islands for the annual Peppercorn Ceremony, when the Governor of Bermuda visits the town in a 200-year-old tradition.

Lyme Regis mayor Coun Sally Holman, Lyme's twinning chairman Sheila Poupard, twinning committee members John and Jan Dover, Bob and Cynch McHardy, and town crier Alan Vian had a busy week attending formal and informal gatherings.

Their activities were arranged by St George's twinning chairman Mariea Casey, who has visited Lyme several times as mayor.

The Lyme twinners were hosted by friends and will return the hospitality when they make a reciprocal visit to the town for the annual Sir George Somers Day parade on July 31.

The inaugural twinning visits were made by the late Barbara Austin MBE when she was mayor of Lyme Regis, and town crier Richard Fox in 1996.

Lyme's current town crier Alan Vian continued to develop the links with his St George's counterpart David Frith.

They shared the announcements at the Peppercorn Ceremony and Mr Vian helped Mr Frith with the daily ritual of using the 'ducking stool' to immerse a 'local gossip' in the harbour.

The 'duckee' was the deputy speaker of the Bermudian Parliament.

Mr Vian dressed as Sir George Somers for a visit to the local school, when he helped the children understand the seamanship skills Sir George had learnt while sailing out of the Cobb.

He also talked about St Michael's Primary School and was asked to pass on the St George's children's good wishes to the pupils in Lyme.

On Sir George's 459th birthday, April 24, a red rose was laid at the foot of his statue on Ordnance Island.

Mr Vian said: “Everywhere we went we were well received and people enthusiastically listened to our tales about Lyme Regis.

“I visited the site where Sir George Somers, having been wrecked in his ship the Sea Venture, on the reefs, still succeeded in rescuing the crew and saving the lives of all on board.”

As well as being presented to the governor at the Peppercorn Ceremony, Coun Holman visited the mayor of Hamilton at City Hall, and renewed friendships with Ed Christopher, town crier of Hamilton and Bermudian MP Kenny Bascombe, former mayor of St George's.

Coun Holman said: “These civic links are very important to the Bermudians.

“They appreciate our visits and the cultural, economic and friendship connections we continue to make - there is a strong wish to remain British.”

Coun Holman said efforts to complete a Bermuda Triangle of twinning with Jamestown in Virginia are ongoing.

She added: “I would like to see a vibrant exchange between Lyme and St George's continue, both are World Heritage Sites and both rely on tourism for their prosperity.

“There is also interest in gig rowing, sailing and tourism opportunities connecting our town and Hamilton, and I was delighted to be able to fly the flag for Lyme.”

The History

THE connection between Lyme Regis and St George's began in 1609.

Admiral Sir George Somers, former Lyme town mayor and West Dorset MP, became shipwrecked on the Islands of Bermuda and claimed them for King James I.

He died in Bermuda in 1610, his heart being buried there and his body returned to his home parish of Whitchurch Canonicorum.

The annual Somers Day Parade was initiated in Lyme Regis in 1980 when St George's town crier Major Donald Henry Burns was sent over by St George's mayor Norman Roberts.

Relations have continued since and in 2005, the association celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Admiral Sir George Somers Parade.

The towns were officially twinned in 1996.

In 2009 celebrations were held in Lyme Regis to mark the 400th anniversary of the colonisation of Bermuda.