FRIENDSHIPS spanning more than 3,300 miles could be formed between fellow ‘Haddingtonians’.

A connection between the East Lothian town and a neighbourhood in Philadelphia could be created via their libraries.

Simon Brown, librarian at the John Gray Centre in East Lothian’s Haddington and Longniddry Library, told the Courier an adult pen pal programme was being formed between the two communities.

He said: “I had applied for the job for Haddington and realised there was one in Philadelphia as well.

“I ended up emailing them and my equivalent there said a pen pal programme sounded a great idea.

“We had a wee virtual meeting and we have been sending photocopied letters back and forward.

“We were hoping to do it for kids but it met with some resistance higher up the chain in Philadelphia so it will be adults only at the moment.”

Anyone looking to take part is invited to visit the library, where a questionnaire can be filled out before a letter is written.

It will then be photocopied and emailed to Haddington, a neighbourhood with a population of about 20,000, in west Philadelphia.

Mr Brown said: “The whole idea is like a message in a bottle and sending a message over the Atlantic.

“Then, someone can read your message and write back to you.”