EVESHAM town councillors and their families and friends gathered together at the town hall on Monday to see councillor Pat Clifford made mayor.

Councillor Robert Raphael, who proposed Coun Clifford told the gathering that the 56-year-old moved to Evesham in 1970 from Bourton-on-the-Water. He worked for British Rail, ran his own taxi business, was a caretaker at Evesham High School, and was a Stocks Lovell senior manager until in closed. Now semi-retired, Coun Clifford carries out maintenance and security work at the Riverside Shopping Centre and is a county council caretaker to an Evesham property.

Councillor Clifford, 56, said his aim was to encourage business and tourism but added: "Being ever mindful of the needs of our residents in this fine town." During his mayoral year Coun Clifford will be raising money for Evesham Sea Cadets, Evesham and Pershore MIND and the County Air Ambulance. By his side as mayoress will be friend of the family, Jean Lowe, who will be standing in for wife Lyn who has a heavy workload.

Outgoing mayor, Diana Raphael was praised and thanked for all her work during the last mayoral year.

Councillor Derek Jarman said she had been the catalyst for making the town look its best with plants and flowers. He said; "It been a cracking year for the town."

It had been very much a family affair, coun Raphael said with her son James as consort, another son John as town crier and the third, Robert, a town councillor food organiser for all the many events the Mayor put on to raise money.