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Coastal town celebrates 30 years of Bermuda twinning

Heidi Davey,in Lyme Regisand
Ethan Gudge,South of England
BBC Ed Christopher is wearing traditional town crier uniform in black and blue, along with sunglasses.BBC
Bermudan Ed Christopher says Lyme Regis is "like St George's in the UK"

A west Dorset town has celebrated the 30th anniversary of its twinning with a Bermudan town by welcoming officials from the Atlantic island.

Lyme Regis-born Admiral Sir George Somers accidentally became the first Englishman to explore and settle Bermuda after being shipwrecked there en route to Virginia, in what is now the US, in 1609.

Somers, a former mayor of Lyme Regis, claimed Bermuda for the English crown and the settlement of St George's was later named in his honour soon after.

Lyme Regis and St George's - which are roughly 3,500 miles (5,600km) apart - officially twinned in 1996 and celebrate together every year, with the 2026 festivities having included a parade on Wednesday.

"The links between this town and St. George's have grown over years and years," Lyme Regis town crier Alan Vian said ahead of the parade, which ended at the harbour, where a special ceremony was held to mark the 30 years of twinning.

Getty Images The boats and homes as seen from the harbor at St. Georges, Bermuda.Getty Images
St George's in Bermuda is roughly 3,500 miles away from Lyme Regis

Vian's Bermudan counterpart, Ed Christopher, said: "I have good friends here, and almost like family.

"Just being in Lyme Regis, you'll be surprised how much it is like St George's," he said.

"So it's almost like coming home because it's pretty much St George's in the UK - other than our beautiful turquoise water and white sand beaches."

Phil Street is wearing a blue suit with a lilac tie. He has short brown and grey hair and a brown and grey beard. He is standing in Lyme Regis harbour.
Phil Street says the twinning was good for the west Dorset town

Christopher said his visiting compatriots had been "inquisitive" during their Dorset visit, and that kids had been "waving and asking questions" during the parade.

"That's the most important thing, passing it on to the young so that they know what's going on," he added.

When the towns first twinned in 1996, it was the then Lyme Regis town crier, Phil Street, who proclaimed the association.

He is now chairman of the twinning association and said: "To be still here and following this through and keeping it going is emotional."

"It's good for the town," he added.

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