SWINDON’s twinning with Walt Disney World has been ranked among the town’s greatest achievements for this year.

Councillor Philip Young, Cabinet Member for Culture, Regeneration and Economic Development, said this community effort followed Swindon council’s attempts to put Swindon at the forefront.

He compared it to the Big Weekend in May, the council’s controversial decision to scrap speed cameras and it becoming the first town to have free wi-fi internet access.

He admitted even Swindon council had been caught off guard by Swindon’s latest coup.

But he said the link between the town and the world’s most famous American theme park was an important step in redressing the image of Swindon.

Coun Young said: “It came as a complete surprise to us and full credit must go to the resident who submitted it.

“This has built upon what’s already been a good year for us putting Swindon on top.

“People will start to think about Swindon in a new light.”

Mortgage advisor Rebecca Warren, 20, from Upper Stratton, was named on Monday as the winner of a national competition for the status of her home town being twinned with the theme park in Orlando, Florida.

The Nationwide employee submitted a slideshow and poem about Swindon.

New signs in Swindon will now list the holiday spot alongside current twin towns Salzgitter in Germany, Ocotal in Nicaragua and Torun in Poland.

He said it would have a positive impact on leisure and tourism by bringing people to the town because it has got the press and public across the country talking about Swindon.

“Swindon has got so much to offer,” he said. “Its portrayal nationally has been really unfair.

“It’s tempting to make this humorous, but this is important in challenging perceptions of Swindon.”

Coun Young said he believed Disney was not merely choosing a twin town as a publicity stunt.

He said he understood that Disney had already made approaches to the Swindon Mayor’s office and had expressed interest in outreach project in the Swindon community.

However, he added it was for Swindon to make the most of this opportunity as well.

“We obviously need to talk to Disney and they need to tell us what the town means to them.

“We want to capitalise on this as much as possible.”