COUNCILLOR Edith Dunston was celebrating this week after being named as the next Mayor of Hyndburn.
The announcement, made at Accrington Town Hall on Tuesday, means she will take over the reins from the current Mayor, Councillor Janet Storey, in May.
Labour stalwart Councillor Dunston, 80, of Fairfield Street, was born and educated in Accrington.
After leaving school, she worked for several years in the textile industry and later as a nursery nurse and assistant at Hargreaves House in Oswaldtwistle.
She retired in 1982, a year after the death of her husband Christopher, an engineer for the North West Coal Board. She has a son, also called Christopher, and a grandson David.
She was elected as Labour candidate for the Spring Hill ward in 1997 and is currently a member of both Hyndburn Council's Planning and Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
She said: "This is brilliant news. I was thrilled to bits when I was told I would be the next Mayor. I had never aspired to anything like this and my priority has always been to just serve my ward.
"I knew I had been proposed by my party, but of course the candidate has to be agreed by the opposition too, so that means anything can happen and I didn't want to tempt fate before I knew for definite.
"I will not be putting up for election again so this will be a wonderful swansong for me."
The news was welcomed by both the council's Labour and Conservative groups.
Labour leader, Councillor David Myles, said: "Councillor Dunston has worked very hard and has been a councillor for many years.
"I know she will be a really good Mayor and I know she'll work hard. She deserves the honour of being Mayor."
Council leader Peter Britcliffe added: "Councillor Dunston is an excellent choice and she will be a lovely ambassador for the borough."
