LINKS have been forged between young people in west Wiltshire and Poland with a three-day visit partly funded by the European Commission.

A group of 28 student dancers, aged 13-19, from Elblag, arrived in west Wiltshire on Thursday and met pupils from Clarendon School, St Augustines Catholic College, and John of Gaunt School, Trowbridge.

Angela Milroy, chairman of the West Wiltshire Twinning Assoc-iation, made a bid for funding to the European Commission and won more than 4,000 euros.

She said: "It is very hard to get funding and just organising an exchange visit isn't usually enough.

"During the visit the polish students did presentations about citizenship, and mixed really well. All the pupils were swapping email addresses.

"We organised a detailed scheme of cultural and historical visits and aimed to get young people involved as much as possible.

"I think the commission looked favourably on the bid because Poland is joining the EU."

On Friday the Polish students took part in a dance education day at Westbury youth centre, where they met up with young people from Westbury and the Dilton Marsh Opportunity Farm.

Staff mixed the groups of students up and encouraged them to swap dances they had learnt for a performance on Friday afternoon.

Later they met members of the Polish community who live in Trowbridge.

Mrs Milroy said: "There is a huge Polish population in Trowbridge and they turned out to support the visitors. I think it was nice for the dancers to meet some almost familiar faces."

On Saturday the dance group performed at the West Wilts Show, and despite the rain, Mrs Milroy said they drew a big crowd.

On Sunday, the dancers were back on their coach for the 30-hour trip home to Poland.

Mrs Milroy said: "Since the fall of communism, Polish people have had to be more internationally minded.

"These students were really outgoing and interested in forging links with west Wiltshire. The schools have got some really good contacts out of it.

"We have met all the aims and objectives of the original bid."