GLOBE-TROTTING students and teachers from Stourport High School Language College have returned a favour of hospitality to a party of Chinese pupils.

A total of 21 youngsters travelled more than 5,500 miles from the city of Yangzhou, in the eastern Jiangsu province, to meet their Wyre Forest peers.

The visitors from the Far East spent 10 days in the country after playing host to a group from the Minster Road school in May.

During their stay in Stourport, the guests from the Orient were taken on a guided tour of the town's landmarks, including the historic Canal Basins.

Mike Humphreys, deputy head, hoped the link established across the continents would grow stronger so the visits could become an annual event.

He explained: "I know the welcome our pupils and staff received in China was second to none.

"It was truly amazing and we did our best to replicate that. We want it to happen every year because it has proved so successful."

The cosmopolitan school has links with other institutes in Japan, Germany, Estonia, Spain and Russia.