Bury will seek to twin with a town or city in Ukraine to highlight the borough’s strength of support during the continuing conflict with Russia.

Councillors unanimously backed a motion put forward by Conservative leader Russell Bernstein.

The council heard that in February 2022 the people of Bury gave so much in humanitarian donations that storage buildings became full and the town hall and Gigg Lane stadium were opened to collect goods.

The council will now work with the UK Friends of Ukraine to find a suitable town, region or city in Ukraine to twin with.

He said: “In a month’s time it will be the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

"Since this illegal and unjustified attack the British people have stood shoulder to shoulder in support of the fight Ukrainian people are having to go through to defeat the Russian enemy.

“The communities of Bury stand together with our friends in Ukraine.

"From the darkest moments of the war we have supported the Ukrainian people.

“This council has been moved by the strength of feeling in this country to support Ukraine.

"Many people from Bury have given aid to Ukraine and have supported the humanitarian effort.

“We have opened our doors to Ukrainian people through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and seen their wonderful culture first hand.

"After the Second World War, the last time that Europe was ravaged by needless war, towns and communities across Europe twinned.

“It was done to share cultural ties and further express our shared culture and values.

"We now stand with the spirit of twinning and exchanging culture across Europe and aim to forge a new twinning relationship with a town, region or city in Ukraine.”

The motion received cross party support.

Labour’s Alan Quinn said: “Here in Bury our citizens have rallied to support our Ukrainian friends.

"They’ve attended the fundraisers and given generously to the cause and have donated food, clothes and toys which have headed across Europe to Ukraine.

“Bury Council has helped by giving rent free shops to help the cause.

"The danger is war fatigue, people forget when it’s not in the headlines day by day.

“This is why the motion is so important. It’s a gesture of solidarity.

"We need to reinforce our friendship and this small act of twinning will show that.”

Officers will come back to the full council with a report on a formal twinning and the next steps in a creation of a Twinning Association.

Bury has previously formed twinning arrangements with Angoulême and Tulle in France, Schorndorf, Germany and Woodbury in the USA.