HUNTINGDONSHIRE business chiefs have added another gong to their gallery. John Bridge, chief executive of Huntingdon Chamber of Commerce, may be an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, but Malcolm Lyons, Hunts chairman of the Federation of Small Bu

HUNTINGDONSHIRE business chiefs have added another gong to their gallery.

John Bridge, chief executive of Huntingdon Chamber of Commerce, may be an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, but Malcolm Lyons, Hunts chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, has picked up an honour of a rather more exotic flavour.

Mr Lyons, who, with another of his hats, has been on the Huntingdon and Godmanchester Twinning Association for 15 years and chairman for the past eight, has been awarded a Medaille d'Honneur - the Salon Town Medal - for his friendship work with the French twin town, Salon de Provence. The distinction was presented by the deputy mayor of Salon, Bernard Frauden.

Monsieur Lyons, pictured with the medal and his wife Trish, responded: "I am a dedicated twinner with a great love for our twinned towns. Over my 15 years in our association I have met and made many good friends here. I hope in the future we can work together to welcome visitors, youth, and cultural groups from Salon de Provence to Huntingdon & Godmancester."

After the presentation he added: "While I was the lucky recipient of the award, it also recognised the importance of the work many others have undertaken in building the friendship and cultural relationships between our twinned towns.