VISITORS from Diessen, the twin town of Windermere and Bowness, visited the Lake District to celebrate 20 years of the partnership.

The group consisted of the Burgermeister of Diessen, Herr Herbert Kirsch and his wife, members of the Blasergruppe and other members including the Secretary of the Freundeskreis Ammersee-Windermere.

There were a number of organised trips and events including the Blasergruppe playing the Alp Horns on the terrace at Brockhole and then, in the afternoon on the bandstand on the Glebe, Bowness.

The Mayor of Windermere, Cllr Leith Hallatsch, and Herr Kirsch unveiled a commemorative plaque naming part of the Glebe waterfront, "Diessen Promenade."

Cllr Jenny Borer, chair of the Windermere-Diessen Twinning Association, cut the commemorative cake and a glass was raised to the continuance of twinning between the communities.

Also attending was Phillip Hubbard, the son of the late Gillian Hubbard. Cllr Hubbard led a group of interested people in the 1990s to form the association.

The following day, the Blassergruppe travelled to Grasmere to play on the village green and at Allan Bank. The valley reverberated to the sound of the Alp Horns who drew a large crowd. The group then went on to visit the Lakes Distillery at Bassenthwaite.

The final day of the visit ended with the Blassergruppe playing at the morning assembly of St Herbert's Primary Catholic School in the Church of Our Lady of Windermere and St Herbert, Windermere.