Representatives from St George in Bermuda and Lyme Regis in England joined this week to celebrate the connection between the two centuries-old towns.

Bermuda’s original capital city and the Dorset town have celebrated every year since becoming official twin cities in 1996.

The towns share several connections, including privateer Sir George Somers, despite being about 5,600km away from one another.

Sir George was born in Lyme Regis and served as area MP and town mayor before leaving Britain for Jamestown, Virginia aboard the Sea Venture in 1609.

The Sea Venture wrecked off Bermuda’s east coast en route, but everyone on board safely arrived on the island.

Sir George then claimed Bermuda for the English Crown and the island remains a British Overseas Territory.

This year’s anniversary involved the annual Somers Day parade, during which members of the St George and Lyme Regis councils, including their respective mayors Quinell Francis and Philip Evans, walked through the Dorset town for a flag-raising and memorial ceremony.

The four days of celebrations, which ended on Thursday, also included a special lunch for the Bermudian visitors, who included the City of Hamilton’s award-winning town crier Ed Christopher, and a service at Whitchurch Canonicorum church, where Sir George is buried, although his heart is interred in St George.

Mr Christopher, who has attended several earlier anniversary celebrations in Lyme Regis, told the BBC: “I have good friends here, and almost like family.

“Just being in Lyme Regis, you'll be surprised how much it is like St George, so it's almost like coming home because it's pretty much St George in the UK, other than our beautiful turquoise water and white sand beaches.”

A statement from the Corporation of St George said: “Mr Evans, the members of Lyme Regis Town Council and the wider community extended such a warm and generous welcome that it reaffirmed our twinning is far more than an historic connection, it is a living friendship built on shared heritage, mutual respect and a common commitment to preserving the remarkable legacy of Sir George Somers.”

The statement added that Mr Christopher’s “passion, professionalism and enthusiasm reflected the very best of our island”.

It said that Ms Francis and St George councillors returned from Lyme Regis “with an even deeper appreciation for the enduring bond between our two communities as we celebrate 30 years of our twinning partnership, and we look forward to strengthening that relationship for generations to come”.