A ceremonial chain rather than a cup of sugar was passed between neighbours.

It came as Workington’s outgoing mayor handed the role to a fellow councillor - who lives next door.

Councillor Joan Wright’s final duty as she ended her term of office was to pass on the mayoral chain to her lifelong friend and long-term neighbour Councillor Ann Bales.

Mrs Bales is herself a former mayoress, having supported her husband and fellow councillor Peter as mayor in 1993-94.

They are the fourth married couple in which both partners have been Mayor of Workington.

Born in Scotland, Mrs Bales, 68, has lived in Workington since the age of three.

She met her mayoral predecessor about three years later when the pair attended St Patrick’s School together, and they have been neighbours on Ullswater Avenue, Moorclose since 1971.

She has been a town councillor for six years.

Councillor Antony McGuckin described her as “a hard-working, caring, motherly figure, always giving her all to charitable events and often seen at the sink washing up”.

He added: “Ann’s often the last one standing after the cleaning up and that will probably continue as mayor.”

Her daughter Nicola will be her mayoress, with husband Peter standing in as consort on occasions.

The couple’s other children, Philip and Andrew, also attended the mayor-making ceremony, along with their grandchildren Josh, Courtney, Addison, Cade, Joe, Kayla and Jack.

Councillor Barbara Cannon was appointed deputy mayor.

The mayor-making ceremony was held during celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the town’s twinning links with Val de Reuil in France.

It was attended by visitors from there and Workington’s other twin town of Selm in Germany, with members of each group making speeches in which they congratulated the new mayor.

During the ceremony, Mrs Wright handed over £7,000 raised for Myeloma UK in memory of her late son Kevin. A spokesman said it was the biggest sum ever raised for the charity by a mayor.

Community stalwart Margaret McIntyre was handed the Volunteer of the Year award in recognition of her efforts within the Carnegie Theatre, Workington Musical Festival, the Friends of the Helena Thompson Museum, Workington and District Amateur Musical Society and the town’s Inner Wheel group.

She said: “I feel shocked. It’s very humbling to think that people thought about me.”

Accepting the honour on behalf of all volunteers in the town, she added: “There are a lot of people doing a lot of good work. You are only as good as your teams.”

A minute's silence was held at the beginning of the event in honour of those affected by the Manchester Arena bombing.