TWO choirs will be flying Kidderminster's flag in a tuneful trip to its twin town in Germany.

Singers and fans of the award-winning Kidderminster Male Choir and The Valentines ladies choir will travel to Husum on Wednesday, August 20 for a six-day singing spectacular commemorating the 400th anniversary of the German town's charter.

Valentines' musical director Pam Cunningham said the 140-strong group, set to take over two Husum hotels, will perform three separate concerts.

Their trip also coincides with a visit to the town by Kidderminster 8th Scout Group and Kidderminster-Husum Twinning Association secretary Charles Talbot, whose organisation helped pay for the choirs' excursion.

Mr Talbot said the year had been "one long celebration" in Husum.

Valentines' musical director Pam Cunningham added: "It's really two separate trips with two different groups but we will be there at the same time and sing together in some concerts.

"Our first concert's venue is the harbour and both choirs will be singing together there."

She added their opening concert would see them perform sea shanties with the Husum Shanty Choir, who helped organise the trip.

"Both choirs are learning German songs and it's going very well - we're experts now," said Mrs Cunningham, whose husband Alan is also travelling to Husum with Kidderminster Male Choir.

Chairman of the male choir, Peter Burns, added it had taken two years to organise the trip - their first visit to the German town and the Valentines' second - with the help of twinning association chairman Georg Wessler.

"We're helping cement something which has been going for a long, long time and hope it gives the twinning significant impetus."

The Valentines will also present two pieces of painted porcelain to the people of Husum.