THE Mayor of Winchester is set to soothe troubled relations with its American twin city after the controversy over its allegedly racist crest.

Winchester city councillor Ray Love sparked anger in the USA last year by criticising civic chiefs in Winchester, Virginia, for their retention of the 'Stars and Bars', the Confederate battle flag that is still widely sported by the racist Ku Klux Klan.

As reported in the Daily Echo in December, Cllr Love said the flag was a symbol of slavery and oppression and Winchester should reconsider its transatlantic ties.

At the time Winchester Virginia council president Charles T Gaynor, said he had only ever received one verbal complaint about the flag and that although it could be seen as a symbol of oppression it was part of the city's heritage.

Mayor Cecily Sutton apologised to her American counterpart and Mr Love resigned from the standards committee.

Cllr Sutton leaves on Friday to visit Winchester, Virginia, to take part in its annual Apple Blossom Festival. She and her husband Peter will ride in an open-top parade down the main street.

She will be paying for the cost of the ten-day trip that will also extend to visiting Winchester, Kentucky.

Mrs Sutton, who represents Colden Common and Twyford, said her apology had been accepted. The Americans might otherwise have thought Mr Love's views were official rather than the opinion of one person.

She said: "I don't think there will be a problem, I think it has all been sorted. It was a storm in a tea cup at the time. I have had an extremely nice letter from the mayor saying how much he is looking forward to us coming over.

"I will tell them it was the concern of one councillor.

"History is history and we all have things we would rather not think about," she said.