A LOCAL man has become a celebrity Down Under - as Mayor of Wagga Wagga in Australia! Peter Dale was born in Worsley but he left the area with his parents in 1950 when he was two. The Dales had been through hard times in England during the war years and experienced tragedy when their first son died of whooping cough.

But Peter went from strength to strength in Australia and was voted mayor of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in September 1995.

And he was re-elected unopposed for a second year in the mayoral election just a few weeks ago.

The story was brought to the attention of the Bolton Evening News by Peter's parents, Geoffrey Cheetham and Hilda Dale, aged 83 and 84, respectively, who also live in Wagga Wagga.

Although Geoffrey married Hilda, she and Peter kept her surname.

Wagga Wagga has a rural setting about 245 kilometres from the Australian capital Canberra.

It has a population of about 59,000 and is known as "The City of Good Sports", "The Garden City of the South" and perhaps best of all an "Inland Cultural Oasis".

Peter, who is married with two daughters, gave up a real estate job when he was elected mayor.

Prior to that he gained business experience with a corner store, a hair salon and from a spell as manager at the Old Wagga Inn

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