AN URGENT appeal has been made for offers of accommodation for Danish students who are arriving in Sudbury in two weeks.

The 19 boys, 20 girls and three coaches from a handball group in Fredensborg, Denmark, have been invited to the area to take part in sporting and cultural activities with local youngsters.

Over the weekend of June 23 and 24, various events are taking place in Sudbury and Great Cornard as part of Sudbury Celebrates 2012, including a handball tournament with the Danish students and sports taster sessions at leisure centres.

Sudbury town councillor Lesley Ford-Platt, who is acting as secretary of the town council committee which is organising the weekend, said unfortunately they had been “let down” by those making the accommodation arrangements for the Danish visitors.

She said she had been left disappointed by the development, but was still hopeful the situation could be turned around in the coming days.

“Everything is coming together and has been coming together beautifully. It’s just this let-down at this 11th hour. It’s just a good thing we found out when we did. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend.”

The group needs somewhere to stay from the Thursday night [June 21] until the Monday morning [June 25].

The youngsters – who are mostly aged from 12 to 16 – can be split into groups, but each must have an adult with them.

Mrs Ford-Platt said they were hoping they would be able to camp at the rugby club in Great Cornard, but they are still appealing for host families. She said: “We don’t want to let our Danish visitors down. It’s great they are coming.”

German students who have also been invited for Sudbury Celebrates, which is to commemorate the London 2012 Olympic Games, do have accommodation. They are camping at AFC Sudbury, where they will be taking part in a football tournament.

Other events include a performance of Saturday Night Fever at Sudbury Upper School on the Saturday night, an ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition at the Delphi sports club in Sudbury on the Saturday and a celebration evening buffet at Delphi on the Sunday.

Sudbury is twinned with Fredensborg in Denmark, Hoxter in Germany – where the German students are from – and Clermont in France.

Anyone who can help host the students and coaches from Denmark should contact Mrs Ford-Platt on 01787 372171. Entry forms for ‘It’s a Knockout’ are available from the town’s mayor, Jack Owen, on 01787 374025. Teams must be between eight and 10 people.