MEMBERS of Newport's Kutaisi Twinning Association (NKTA) recently visited Kutaisi, in Georgia, to celebrate 25 years of the cities' twinning.

While there, members of the association visited Kutaisi's main street, renamed to Newport Street 15 years ago.

Sonia Fisher, chairman of NKTA was invited to help unveil a plaque in Newport Street to mark the milestone of a quarter of a century of friendship between the two cities.

Present were the host Mayor of Kutaisi, Shota Mugalia, the British Ambassador in Georgia, Alexandra Hall-Hall, members of the Georgian Parliament, Kutaisi city authorities, representatives of business and professions and a large crowd of Kutaisi people.

Mrs Fisher said: "It is yet another reminder that there is a great friendship link between Newport and Kutaisi, the second city in size in the Independent State of Georgia.

"Everybody in Kutaisi knows Newport. It's just incredible really.

"It's fabulous."

To celebrate the historical link in Newport, a section of the River Usk riverside, from the old bridge to the pedestrian bridge, was named the Kutaisi Walk five years ago.

Near the Riverfront, there is a plaque inscribed in English, Welsh and Georgian, also commemorating the twinning.