The five-strong group from South Carolina are led by retired urologic surgeon Dr Bill Green and are spending a few days in the town as part of a four-week exchange in the UK.

While here they are being hosted by several Rotary Clubs in the East Midlands region, which has involved or will involve visits to Peterborough, Northampton, Leicester, the Deepings and Stamford.

Their trip will culminate at the district Rotary conference in Torquay, where they will be giving a presentation.

Others in the party are journalist Mary Dolan, police sergeant Eric DiLorenzo, educator Joe Fortune and ecologist Colette DeGarady.

Although the exchange is organised by Rotary, none of the party is a Rotarian. The aim of such exchanges is to give professionals aged between 25 and 40 the opportunity to visit another country and see how they work in the same field.

Journalist Mary Dolan, who works on The Item, a regional daily newspaper in Sumter, specialises in reporting on education.

During her time in Sleaford she visited Carre’s Grammar School and also stopped off at the Sleaford Standard.

Mary said: “These exchanges are so valuable in that they give you a chance to go to another country and see how things are done there, as well as experiencing a different culture.

“Although there are obviously many similarities between the USA and Great Britain, there also areas that are quite different.

“For example, we don’t have grammar schools, so I found it very interesting to hear about the education system in this area.

“During my time over here I want to get a good look at how education in this country operates.

“Back home we have mandatory education up to the age of 18. There is a three-tier system, starting at elementary school for children aged from four to 10, then middle school from 11 to 13, followed by high school from 14 to 18.” Mary was full of praise for the hospitality of Rotary Club members.

She said: “We have received the kindest hospitality. People have opened their homes to us as if we were family. We have been treated so well.”

While staying in this area the party visited local heritage sites such as Lincoln Cathedral and Castle, Tattershall Castle, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby and Burghley House, Stamford.