THE French connection is no more.

For nearly three decades, Wareham has forged links with its twin French town of Conches-en-Ouche in Normandy.

But now members of Wareham and District Twinning Association have voted to disband the organisation, after struggling to keep up numbers.

Their Gallic counterparts from Conches, who are reportedly also suffering from dwindling membership, will be making a final trip to Wareham in May.

In a letter to Wareham Town Council, a spokesman for the twinning association said: "Our French colleagues and the mayor of Conches are fully aware of the situation and know that their visit to us in May will be the final one as a group.

"This obviously a sad occasion for the association and Wareham as a whole, but as we have agreed it now seems the only possible course of action."

But he stressed that cordial relations would continue between the two towns despite the disbanding of the association, and the twinning charter would remain in place.

He told the Daily Echo: "If, in the future, another group of people feel they would like to come forward to run the organisation, then obviously it could be revived."

The twinning association took the decision to fold at its annual general meeting, where members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the move.

A special general meeting has now been called for July 23 at the United Reformed Church Hall in Wareham where a decision will be taken concerning the disposal of the association's assets.

Wareham was first twinned with Conches-en-Ouche, a popular tourist town in Normandy with just over 4,300 inhabitants, in 1978.

But the town will still keep up close links with its other twin town of Hemsbach in Germany. Last year, Wareham celebrated the 20th anniversary of that twinning.