A TRADITIONAL mayor-making took place in Redcar and Cleveland last week - in contrast to the more controversial elections in neighbouring boroughs.

Taking the chain of office was Coun Eric Jackson, who was born and brought up in Loftus and represents the town he loves.

Watching the ceremony proudly last Thursday was his mother, 93-year-old Bessie.

Coun Jackson said he hoped to use his civic year to highlight a number of tourist attractions in the area in the wake of the foot-and-mouth epidemic and called upon his fellow councillors to help him by telling him about the area's hidden gems.

His main charities will be Epilepsy Outlook, the three community hospitals in the borough - East Cleveland at Brotton, Stead at Redcar and Guisborough General - as well as the Tom Leonard Mining Museum at Skinningrove.

Coun Jackson, a former pupil at St Joseph's School in Loftus and Sacred Heart in Redcar, began his political life through his involvement with the unions at Loftus bus depot. He was elected to Loftus Town Council in 1982 and the borough council in 1995. His main hobby is researching local history.

His mayoress will be fellow councillor Brenda Forster, who was mayor in 1992-93 and mayoress to Coun Les Morgan in 1986-87.

Coun Forster said: "I'm very proud to be Eric's mayoress, he's a lovely man, a gentleman and it'll be a pleasure to work with him."

Deputy mayor will be Normanby councillor Wendy Wall and her husband Michael will be the Deputy Mayor's Escort.

Retiring mayor Coun Vilma Collins was praised for raising the most money in the authority's history - more than £16,500.

Paying tribute to Coun Collins and her three mayoresses - her sisters Barbara Beadman and Linda Martin and friend Chris Ruddock - Coun Sheelagh Clarke said she was a wonderful role model for women in the borough.