A BASINGSTOKE school’s difficulty with forging foreign links has been overcome – thanks to some help from the borough council.

Students at Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary school in South Ham, Basingstoke faced a costly return visit after a group of 33 French students from Basingstoke’s twin town of Alencon came over on an exchange earlier his month.

This is the 31st year of exchanges between the school and the school of St Francis de la Salle in Alencon.

But the poor exchange rate between the pound and the euro since the onset of the recession might have meant the Basingstoke youngsters missing out on some attractions in France on the trip that was carefully organised by teacher Frances Carroll.

Fortunately, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s International Forum, which oversees twinning matters, stepped in.

Pam Corrigan, head of modern languages at Bishop Challoner, said: “It looked like it was going to be a lot more expensive, but I knew there was money available and we asked about it and were awarded £1,800, which is fantastic. It will make all the difference.”

Mrs Corrigan said the money will mean the youngsters can visit a museum about D-Day in Caen among other attractions, including the Parc Asterix.

To say thank you to the council for the grant, the school invited the Mayor and Mayoress of Basingstoke and Deane – Councillor Brian Gurden and his wife Eleanor – to say farewell to the French students as they left.

Mrs Corrigan said the 12-to-14-year-olds from France had thoroughly enjoyed their five-day stay with local families, visiting Beaulieu and London and other local points of interest.

But they seemed to have most enjoyed a day attending Bishop Challoner school and were reassured when told they would not have to wear Bishop Challoner uniform. Uniform is not a feature of school life in France.