AS community leaders prepare to jet off to Krynica in Poland to decide whether it will become Amersham's second twin, VICTORIA BIRCH takes a look at the town.

The town of Krynica is renowned for its beauty and is particularly famous for its healing waters, especially its springs and pools.

It has been a health resort since 1793 and attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Like Amersham, it is blessed with stunning surroundings but the weather in Poland is far more extreme with severe winters and warm summers.

There is a lot of interesting architecture and historical monuments in Krynica, the most popular being a statue of the poet Adam Mickiewicz.

Amersham town councillors have the pleasant task of visiting the town to see if it should become their second twin.

The visiting party will also be made up of members of Amersham's Polish community and interested individuals.

During the week-long visit from June 18, to the mountain town of Krynica - which is pronounced Kree-neet-sah - the travellers will take part in a range of activities including a tour, a visit to a local primary school and local government issues will also be discussed.

They will also take a tour of the sports buildings and will travel by cable railway to the Jaworzyna Krynicka mountain.

Amersham Town Council is currently in talks with officials in Poland to discuss future plans towards a successful twinning agreement.

The trip will give officials from both towns more time to talk the twinning plans through. Last October representatives visited Amersham to look around the town, and even stayed a couple of extra days.

Cllr Brian Guest, acting chairman of the Amersham-Krynica twinning association, said: "It is a different culture, and the cost of living is much cheaper.

"It is in the foothills of the mountains and a ski resort, it's a touristy place.

"We would like to make the connection because of the sporting side of it and for the youths. The Amersham Band want to go some time in the future, they have young members."

He added that the visitors to Amersham were doctors, solicitors and a few students.

He said: "When we met them, apart from about three or four, all of them only spoke Polish. They hope to join the EU at some stage and hope they will speak English soon as they will then get taught it in schools.

"The twinning with Bensheim has had a few hiccups, some of the committee resigned and they had to reform it."

However, some councillors believe there should be stronger links with the Amersham-Bensheim society.

Councillor Josie Ricketts, the Mayor of Amersham, said she would also like to concentrate on the society which was founded in 1978 to encourage friendship and understanding between the two towns.

She said she has visited the 1,200 year-old German market town a number of times and had made friends with the residents. After she retires as Mayor next month, she would like to take up the links again.

She said: "I would like very much to resurrect the Amersham-Bensheim Town Twinning Association. It used to be thriving and has dwindled. I would like to get it going again.

She added: "I have made lots of friends there over the years, and it is my next project to get the links resurrected."