BURNLEY'S out-going mayor reluctantly gave up her chain of office at a special meeting of the council.

Coun Lilian Clark said she would leave the role with regret after having the "most amazing and happy" year in office.

At the council's annual meeting at Burnley Town Hall she announced that with the help of the mayoress, her daughter Jaqueline Elkington, her charity fund had reached a more than £23,200.

The money is to be donated to the brain injuries charity, Headway, and children's charity, Wish Upon a Star.

Coun Margaret Lishman was inaugurated as the new mayor of Burnley at the meeting.

Giving the vote of thanks to the out-going mayor, CounPeter Kenyon said: "Lilian has been a very popular Mayor with requests for return visits

from people who have met her.

"Perhaps because of that, it will be very difficult to get her to part with the chains."

Coun Lishman had expected to serve as deputy mayor this year until mayor-elect John Harbour lost his seat in Padiham with Hapton ward to the BNP in the recent local elections.

The 52-year-old assistant chief executive of Wyre Primary Care Trust, who has represented Briercliffe on the borough council since 1991 and is also a

Briercliffe parish councillor, said: "You all know that I did not expect to be standing here today, I had thought that this year would be the one where I could watch and learn.

"However, that was not to be and my sympathy goes to John and Gillian Harbour, who fell victim to the democratic system."

Her mayoress for the year will be her sister-in-law and next-door-neighbour Anne Kelly.

During their mayoral year, Coun Lishman and Mrs Kelly will be raising money for a high dependency room for the children's unit at Burnley General Hospital.