ATHERTON Councillor Jack Sumner was given an 80th birthday surprise by colleagues on Monday.

They arranged for wife, Netta, and daughter-in-law, Valerie Sumner, to be at Wigan Town Hall for the party, which the former Mayor has described as one of the best days of his life (writes Lesley Richards).

Unknown to him they had planned the big event to follow his routine Recreation and Amenities Committee meeting, and had created a 'this is your life' history in photographs.

Jack, of Chichester Avenue, Atherton, who began his career on Atherton Council in 1962 plans to retire at the May election.

He was chairman of Atherton twice before the 1974 merger with Wigan and was Mayor of the Metro in 1987-88.

He said: "Monday was an absolutely fabulous day, one I will never forget, wonderful. I still can't believe it happened. I'm so proud.

"I am very thankful to Wigan Metro, committee members, officers and fellow Councillor Susan Loudon.

"I always thought a lot about Wigan Council after the initial upset.

"There is only 11 of the original members from 1974 left, but there are a lot of up and coming, smart youngsters coming in.

"I have two brilliant colleagues in Atherton in Cllrs Loudon and Joe Clarke. We are all great friends and that has a lot to do with it. I shall be leaving the council in good hands.

"Over the years I have had some great times and met some important people including Princesses Margaret, Diana, Anne and Alexandra and the Duke of Edinburgh.

"I have a picture with Richard Branson, and have appeared in a film which was made at Haigh Hall. Netta played a peasant girl and I was a Russian general - and we were served breakfast by Richard Burton's last wife, Sally.

"If I had my time over I would do it all again, but this time would work a lot harder."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.