People in Skipton may have to brush up on their French language skills as tentative steps are taken towards a new cross-channel venture.

Town councillors are investigating the possibility of twinning Skipton for a second time.

They have already picked Les-Clayes-Sous-Bois as a prospective twin town. It has 17,000 inhabitants and is 27 kilometres west of Paris and 12 kilometres from Versaille.

Councillor Polly English said the town had been selected because it was similar size and with a similar rural nature.

She said that, because children tended to learn French before they learned German, it would be beneficial for them to be able to visit a French town where good relationships had already been formed.

But Coun Audrey Thornton said Skipton had enjoyed almost 20 successful years as a twin town of Simbach in Germany and she would be reluctant to do anything that might weaken those links.

Simbach Society member Geoff Hoyle feared a second twin town might have a negative impact on the relationships formed in Simbach.