AWARD-winning milkman Peter Swainston is the new Mayor of Burnley. A councillor for 20 years, he was elected at the annual meeting at Burnley Town Hall.

His sister-in-law, Sheila, is his Mayoress. A local milkman, Coun Swainston is a former North West Milkman of the Year and runner-up in the national finals. Moving his election as the town's first citizen, Coun Stuart Caddy said the customers who nominated him called him their good Samaritan, a friend on whom they could always rely. He added: "I can never recall having heard a wrong word said about him; he is a man of conscience, a dedicated individual, a man of integrity and a man who is trusted and respected by everyone who knows him.''

The motion was seconded by Coun Gordon Birtwistle and supported by Coun Mohammad Najib.

The new Mayor announced that his charity fund would be aimed at supporting the Macmillan Nurses, Help the Aged and other voluntary groups and charities.

A vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor and Mayoress, Coun Arthur Park and his wife, Eileen, was proposed by council leader Coun Kath Reade.

During their year in office they have attended 460 engagements both home and away, from Worsthorne to Westminster and from Padiham to Paris and from Buckingham Palace to the Vatican City.

Coun Park urged the council to consider creating at greater lengths the deeper forging of the friendship with twin town Vitry-sur-Seine, especially with future generations in mind.

He announced that due to the hard work of the Mayoress's Committee and generosity of local people, his charity fund had raised £11,580 for the local branch of Home Nursing for Cancer Patients, Carers for Alzheimer's Disease, the Burnley Child Development Centre and Burnley Youth Theatre.

The Mayor's chaplain, Fr Michael Fraher, parish priest at St Mary Magdalene's and St Teresa's Church, Burnley, has suffered a slight attack and will be unable to conduct the Mayor's Sunday service.

The Mass at St Teresa's will be conducted by Canon Jude Harrison of St Alban's, Blackburn, and formerly of Burnley.

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