BLACKBURN with Darwen's Mayor Jack Bury put pen to paper to sign an agreement which council chiefs hope will help open up the eastern European market to local firms.

The signing of the co-operation agreement between Blackburn with Darwen and the Polish town of Tarnow followed two years of developing relations between the towns. The friendship was started by the environmental charity Groundwork which helped Tarnow set up a similar organisation in Poland called Czysty Buzines.

Since then the relations between Tarnow and Blackburn with Darwen have blossomed and now the two are working together in many areas.

Francesca Veneziano, manager of Blackburn with Darwen's international business centre, has been at the centre of organising a week-long celebration of the ties between the two areas.

She said: "It's not a formal twinning but something even more practical because the two towns will work together in education, youth issues, the environment, tourism and business."

The International Business Centre at Blackburn with Darwen Council is currently dealing with further requests for co-operatio between East Lancashire and Tarnow.

Francesca Veneziano added: "There has been incredible interest at business and at community level. We are learning from each other."

Picture: Mayor Jack Bury signs the deal with, left, Tarnow deputy mayor Andrezej Sasak and Tarnow council chairman Antonij Zieba