A FOOTBALL fan who became a councillor after his car windscreen was vandalised has been elected as Mayor.

Cllr Charlie Briggs, who was the deputy Mayor of Burnley last year, has been installed as the new Mayor during a ceremony in front of colleagues, friends and family at Burnley Town Hall on Wednesday.

The former council leader took over the role from Howard Baker, who lost his Trinity seat to the Green Party candidate Andrew Fewings in Burnley Council's local elections on May 3.

The lifelong Clarets fan and season ticket holder at Burnley FC said: “It's tremendous and still have not got over (the ceremony). All I want to do is my best for the town because I absolutely adore it.

"I have been asked to live in Australia, the United States of America and South Africa for work and I have turned them all down and said 'No, I'm not leaving this town'."

The father-of-three, who was born in Burnley Wood, has lived in Burnley most of his life and studied at Ightenhill Junior School and Rosegrove secondary school.

Following his school studies, the Gannow councillor went to work in the kitchen at his parents’ pub the Railway Hotel, Brierfield, before starting work as an apprentice at Smith and Nephew, and then later worked with his uncle at Mullards.

The 62-year-old, who runs his own engineering supplies company B&M Engineering Supplies Ltd, joined the council over 30 years ago after complaining to local councillor and Gordon Birtwistle about waking up one morning to find his car window smashed in March 2007.

The former Burnley MP, told Mr Briggs: "if you want to do something about it why don't you become a councillor?". Two months later Mr Briggs was voted in as ward councillor for Gannow.

Mr Brigg's partner Patricia Lunt, 61, is the new Mayoress and his eldest son Peter, 39, will serve as Consort. He has three children – Peter, Victoria and Charles – and three grandchildren.

The Mayor's charities for the year are Burnley FC in the Community; North West Air Ambulance, BK’s Heroes, who raise brain and kidney disease awareness and East Lancashire People First, who support people with learning difficulties.