BRADFORD on Avon could become the first town in Wiltshire to be twinned with a town in China, after the town council agreed to move forward with plans this week.

The opportunity was first posed at the town’s recreation committee meeting last week after councillors received a letter from representatives in Fenghuang Old Town Pheonix in China.

In the letter from the Zha Shui County government office, which is the nearest governmental body to the Chinese town, it said: “All governors expressed their strong interest and are pleased that our traditional old town Fenghuang Old Town Pheonix can be twinned with the pretty and traditional town of Bradford on Avon.”

With a population of over 17,000 people, Fenghuang Old Town Pheonix is located in southern China and has a long history of architectural culture which has been extensively written about by historians.

Deputy mayor Laurie Brown, who chaired the town council meeting on Tuesday, said: “I think it is a fantastic idea. We would like to send them a letter to say that we would like to move forward to make progress of twinning Bradford on Avon with the town in China.”

The town was also added to the UNESCO World HeritageTentative List in 2008 for its cultural contributions to the country.