BLACKPOOL'S next mayor has pledged to promote the resort nationwide during his mayoral year.

Councillor Henry Mitchell, who was unanimously voted in as mayor-elect by the full council, said: "I want to be a PR man for Blackpool, to promote it as a tourism town and sell what it has to offer, not only to the conference trade but to all visitors."

Coun Mitchell, 65, Conservative member for Bispham, will have the task of welcoming Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair when this year's party conference is held at the Winter Gardens.

"It's rather ironic that the present Labour mayor, Coun Fred Jackson, hosted the Tory conference last year, and I'll be hosting Labour and the TUC," he said.

"But politics doesn't come into a role like this.

"You are trying to promote Blackpool and tell them what amenities it has to offer."

Coun Mitchell, a retired sales manager and newsagent, first became a councillor in 1979 when he represented Anchorsholme, then lost his seat in 1991 and won the by-election last year in Bispham.

In the 1980s, when the Conservatives ruled the council, he was environmental health chairman - and even drank a glass of Blackpool sea-water to prove it was not a health hazard.

He was also licensing committee chairman and chief whip.

Coun Mitchell's son, Andy, is head of news at Radio Wave and his daughter Jillian is to be his mayoress.

Deputy mayor and mayoress will be his fellow ward councillor Don Clapham and his wife Gillian.

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