THE Mayor of Pendle today "sacked" his wife as mayoress and declared: "Our marriage is over."

The announcement came as Councillor Fred Hartley revealed he had left the family home in Nelson just two weeks after he and wife Denise were installed as the borough's civic leaders in a major town hall ceremony.

He has moved in with former mayor and mayoress Len and Joanne Atkinson, his bosses at a local cleansing firm, at their house in nearby Hazlewood Road.

The move comes a month after Coun Hartley dropped the woman he had first lined up to be mayoress, fellow councillor Kathleen Shore, 70, in favour of his wife Denise.

Coun Shore, who served with Coun Hartley while he was deputy mayor last year, today called for him to resign for making a mockery of the mayoralty.

Cleansing firm foreman Coun Hartley, 35, a Labour councillor in Bradley ward, said he was determined to see through his mayoral year as he had promised in his acceptance speech -- "with integrity and dignity"-- and with the help of substitute mayoresses.

He declared: "There has been an irretrievable breakdown of my marriage.

"It was on the rocks, now it is over -- Denise is no longer my mayoress."

A tearful Denise, at the family home in Townhouse Road, confirmed the mayor had left but declined to comment further on the advice of her solicitor.

She said: "I feel hurt and humiliated. He is certainly never coming back here!"

The couple have been married 15 years and have two children.

Coun Hartley said Mrs Atkinson and her daughter Julie Manning -- also a director of Beroncope Ltd, which is run from the family home and carries out a cleansing contract with Pendle Council -- would be among those who would stand in as mayoress at civic functions.

He added: "My wife is no longer mayoress -- it is not an elected position. I decide who my mayoress will be."

Coun Hartley said the marriage breakdown saddened him greatly.

"I am distraught, but I have to accept the fact. Things got worse after we became mayor and mayoress."

"My functions as mayor will not be affected in any way. I will carry out all my duties on behalf of the people of Pendle with full integrity," he added.

Coun Hartley declared: "There is no other woman involved."

Today, Mrs Shore, herself a former mayor, called on Coun Hartley to resign.

"He is making a mockery of the mayoralty and he should go," she said.

Pendle Council chief executive Stephen Barnes said Coun Hartley was legally entitled to choose his own mayoress. He added that any concern would centre on whether it was felt Coun Hartley's activities were judged to be bringing the council into disrepute.

Mr Barnes said: "I will be speaking to him and finding out the facts."