A CITY'S new mayor was elected to office with a proud guest overseeing the event.

Eighty-one-year-old Lily Stephenson was among the invited audience at the ceremony, in which her son, Bill, was installed as Sunderland's mayor.

A retired local government officer, Mr Stephenson, the city council member for Washington West for the past 11 years, takes over from Councillor James Scott.

Mayor Stephenson, whose father was a miner, said: "I am proud of this city and its people for their determination and resilience in recovering from the loss of heavy industry to put in place a community using the cutting-edge of the latest IT technology to move forward into the 21st Century and get the job done.

"This 'can-do' approach has helped to attract such big international names as Nissan into Sunderland which, in turn, means bringing in associated industries to help boost the local economy and create even more jobs.

"It has been a case of the city recognising an opportunity and going for it."

Coun Stephenson's chosen charities during his term of office are Macmillan Cancer Relief and Riding for the Disabled.

He also plans to meet as many of the city's voluntary groups as possible, because his year in office coincides with International Year of the Volunteer.

Coun Stephenson, a former St John Ambulance volunteer, is a governor at George Washington Primary School and a member of Springwell Village Residents' Association.