A RETIRED Rolls Royce engineer has been installed as Pendle's new first citizen.

Cllr Ken Hartley, who represents Barnoldswick's Craven ward, has pledged to be an ambassador for the borough both locally and further afield.

He has selected Cllr Jayne Mills, of neighbouring Coates ward, to be his Mayoress for the next 12 months.

Cllr Hartley said: "“Jayne and I want to support those people who often put their own lives at risk to come to the aid of those in desperate need.

"We have looked both east and west and our chosen charities are the local air ambulance services, our area's fell and cave rescue organisations in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale and Wharfedale and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution."

Born and bred in West Craven, Cllr Hartley joined Rolls as an apprentice and worked for them in Europe and North America.

He enjoyed a second career looking after executive jet aircraft at overhaul bases in Montreal and Toronto.

The deputy mayor and mayoress for 2019-20 will be Cllr Neil Butterworth and Kaye Butterworth.