AN INVITATION has been extended to Malmesbury residents to visit the German town of Bad Hersfeld, which was founded by a monk from Malmesbury.

This special invite came after a group of German tourists visited the town to find out more about its history and gave a presentation on the importance of the founder of their town, St Lullus.

This ancient saint was born in Wessex and left Malmesbury Abbey on a pilgrimage to Rome around 730AD, but ended up settling at a German monastery and founded the town of Bad Hersfeld.

In tribute to him the town holds a massive week-long festival every year around the day of his death, believed to be the oldest folk festival in Germany, which sees tens of thousands of people line the streets in celebration.

As well as a huge half marathon and a collection of fairground rides the population celebrates by lighting a huge fire in the centre of the town which blazes for a week non-stop.

This year’s visitors enjoyed a tour of Malmesbury from former mayor Cllr Ray Sanderson and local historian Charles Vernon.

During a visit to the town several years ago while he was mayor Cllr Sanderson said he was treated like royalty by the German townsfolk and said he wanted to show the same hospitality during their visit.

Cllr Sanderson said: “It went extremely well. They really enjoyed themselves and are very keen to have closer ties with Malmesbury.

“We are going to form an association called the friends of Lullus over here and they have thrown open a blanket invitation to the people of Malmesbury to go over there during Lullusfest.”

“From his death to the present day they have had a Lullusfest that lasts for a week.”

St Lullus is less well known in Malmesbury but Bad Hersfeld has offered a team of Malmesbury residents the chance to take part in their festivities, including spaces to run in a half marathon that takes place in their town in October.

This year’s festival will take place for a week from October 11, commemorating their patron saint’s death on October 16.

They hope that this chance will bring the two towns closer together and they are also hoping to make connections between the two towns’ community groups, including their choirs and football teams.

Kai Struthoff (corr), editor of the town's newspaper Hersfeld Zeitung, was among the group and said that he hoped Malmesbury residents would get involved.

He said: "We think it would be a nice idea for a team from Malmesbury to come and participate in this big running event and if they would stay for the festival that would be even better."

Mr Struthoff explained that the visit to the town he was on was only open to the Friends of Malmesbury and that there could be more tourists on the way.

"The next time we would like to open it to everybody so we might hire a a bus and come over and visit," he added.

To express your interest in attending Lullusfest 2015 or linking with a community group in Bad Hersfeld email Cllr Sanderson at malmesbury@tiscali.co.uk