A CITY’S new mayor is looking forward to a busy year in civic office.

Ex-colliery fitter Robert ‘Bob’ Heron, and wife Juliana became the new Mayor and Mayoress of Sunderland in a civic centre ceremony.

It is ten years since Mrs Heron, a former city councillor, served as Mayor.

They took the ceremonial chains from outgoing Mayor and Mayoress, councillors Iain Kay and Barbara McClennan.

Family and friends gathered in the council chamber to view the handover, just weeks after watching the Mayor-to-be in a more daunting occasion, zip-wiring from Wearmouth Bridge onto the quayside for charity.

Guests at Wednesday evening’s (May 15) ceremony included son Ziggy, daughters Juliana and Emma, and eight-year-old grandsons Jake and Ciaran.

Coun Heron was born into a mining family in Hetton-le-Hole, one of eight children, seven boys, brought up by parents Jack and Nellie in a two-up, two-down terraced house in Barrington Terrace.

He worked as a labourer and apprentice fitter at nearby Hawthorn, Murton and Eppleton collieries.

Following the pit closures, he took his skills as a mechanical fitter into the factories of the North-East and Midlands.

First elected to the city council in 1991, he has served all but one year since for his local area, now known as Copt Hill ward, spanning parts of Hetton and neighbouring Houghton-le-Spring.

Coun Heron’s chosen Mayoral charities are the Alzheimer’s Society, Samaritans (Sunderland) and Fibromoralgia research.

Coun Stuart Porthouse and his wife Marie were appointed Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress for the coming year.