The English and French enjoyed an entente cordiale when two historic canals were linked in a historic twinning ceremony.

The Wilts and Berks Canal Partnership last week signed an Agreement of Friendship with The Association des Canaux Bretons to twin the Nantes to Brest canal with the Wilts and Berks.

The partnership will encourage a better understanding between both partners and their associated organisations, as well as protecting and promoting the two canals.

Doreen Darby, partnership chairman said: "This twinning with the Wilts and Berks Canal is a suitably strong symbol and a token of this lasting friendship between France and England. It bodes well for our attempts to try for EU funding which could, if successful, help both canals fulfil strategic goals."

The Wilts and Berks Canal is being restored in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, and the Nantes to Brest Canal runs through the regions of Brittany and the Loire Atlantique, France.

The twinners hope to promote frienship and cultural understanding between the two communities and regions, as well as the potential to explore and understand the technical, economic and regeneration issues that affect both canal projects.

Ultimately the partnership might increase the chances of securing EU funding for both schemes.

The partners witnessed the signing by the two presidents, Lord Lansdowne of Bowood House and Kader Benferhat, the President de Comite des Canaux Bretons at a special ceremony at Bowood House.

The year 2004 marks the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, which was signed by Lord Lansdowne's grandfather, who was then the Foreign Secretary.

Chaloner Chute, the project officer, has visited the Nantes a Brest region said he was warmly received.

"The Nantes a Brest Canal played a strategic role in Franco-English relations, of which we celebrate the bicentenary this year," he said.

"And Pontivy, from where several of our guests today come, started out as the imperial city of Napoleonville. This beautiful town will also celebrate its bicentenary this November."