HAVERFORDWEST’s twin town in Germany has played host to visitors from Pembrokeshire’s county town for their annual carnival.

Cllr Alan Buckfield, mayor of Haverfordwest, visited Oberkirch in the German state of Baden-Wurtemberg for their annual carnival, which parades through the streets of the town.

The mayor was hosted by his equivalent, the Oberburgermeister of Oberkirch, for the festival, which takes place in the week before Ash Wednesday.

On returning from the event, the mayor said: “I have just come back from a successful visit to the carnival in Oberkirch. The hospitality was superb.

“It is a beautiful town and I would encourage anybody to get involved with the twinning association and join in meeting our friends in Oberkirch.”

In southern Germany carnivals are common and are also known as Fasent, and can be quite similar to carnivals in the Rhine region though they have a different origin.

Locals dress up in colourful costumes and wooden masks with grimacing faces which are in some areas are handed down from generation to generation within the same family.

“It is a very enjoyable event,” said Cllr Buckfield, adding that the two towns would soon be celebrating a special anniversary in their twinning relationship.

“It is a good time to get involved with twinning because it is the 30th anniversary next year, when there will be reciprocal visits between the two towns.”

The bonds between the two towns began in 1987 when Haverfordwest’s town clerk had a phone call from the Oberburgermeister about twinning, after he had seen the Glancleddau Dancers perform in Germany.

In 1988, an informal delegation of Oberkirch’s councillors visted Pembrokeshire, and the next year in 1989 an official twinning ceremony was held in Germany.

Haverfordwest Male Voice Choir and the Glancleddau Dancers performed at this alongside the Oberkirch town band.

The two towns celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2014 with a weekend of activities, including a joint concert at Sir Thomas Picton School.