THE out-going Mayor of Adlington said his year in office had been "extremely traumatic".

Speaking at the annual town meeting, Cllr Idris Rees said both himself and his wife had suffered from ill health.

His wife Rose was taken ill and spent about eight weeks in hospital at the end of October last year.

Cllr Rees, aged 82 and an Adlington councillor for 44 years, then had to go into hospital himself for an operation.

The mayor's charity ball was cancelled and the deputy mayor - now mayor - Steven Walkden stepped in to fulfil mayoral duties.

Cllr Rees told the meeting: "It has been an extremely traumatic year as far as myself and my wife are concerned.

"The support that we have had from each and every one of our colleagues has been tremendous."

He thanked Cllr Barry Lee - now the deputy mayor - for chairing meetings at short notice despite never having done so before.

Cllr Rees, who stepped down at the meeting, has been mayor or chairman of the former Adlington Urban District Council seven times.

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