A WARM welcome is assured for the borough's new French ambassadress.

Audrey Carret from French twin-town Angers will be working in the Leigh district for the next 12 months as the 15th ambassadress to come to town.

Although she is swapping the delights of the Loire Valley for the Douglas Valley, Audrey, 21, is looking forward to her time in the borough.

In her new role Audrey will ensure Wigan's twinning with Angers runs smoothly, she will help visiting groups with interpreting and translation and she will promote new and existing exchanges.

Audrey learned English literature and civilisation at Anger's Belle-Beille University where her predecessor in Wigan, Lucie Duverger (pictured here with Audrey) also studied.

Mastered Spanish

As well as speaking fluent English she has also mastered Spanish and enjoys cinema, music, dance and swimming.

Audrey has already spent four months working in Wigan's Tudor House pub in a bid to improve her language skills.

She will now be based at Wigan Investment Centre and can be contacted on 01942 828175.

Audrey will work closely with Wigan's new ambassador to Angers David Kemp, who takes over from his predecessor Kirsty Alderson at the same time. The annual exchange of young ambassdors has been taking place since the borough twinned with Angers 14 years ago, and is believed to be unique in Anglo-French twinning.