WIRRAL'S new mayor was formally elected and took up the chains of office during a ceremony at Wallasey town hall on Monday evening.

Bidston & St James councillor Ann McLachlan follows Labour predecessor Pat Hackett as first citizen of the borough.

Addressing family, friends and colleagues in her debut speech as mayor in the packed hall on Monday night, Cllr McLachlan - whose consort is husband Bill - said: "Thank you for coming to support us as Bill and I embark on a busy year together".

Her chosen charities will be Merseyside Autistic Children's Society and Incubabies - which is raising funds to expand the neo-natal unit at Arrowe Park Hospital.

On supporting the charity during her year as mayor, Cllr McLachlan said: "Something that tugs at the heart strings is well worth support".

The daughter of a shipbuilder, Ann was born in Clydebank, Glasgow in 1952.

Her family later moved to Wirral, where she was educated in Wallasey at Riverside and Birkett School's and St George's Secondary Modern School and Wallasey College of Further Education.

On leaving College in 1970, Ann worked at Liverpool University as a personal assistant to a Professor of Theoretical Physics. She studied for a business degree early in the 1990s and was a full-time trade union official until 2007. 

She was first elected as a councillor in 1996-2000 and since 2004 has served as member for Bidston & St James ward. Since 2012 has been deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for governance, commissioning and improvement.

Conservative councillor Geoffrey Watt, who represents West Kirby and Thurstaston was elected as deputy mayor, with wife Anne as Mayoress.

Outgoing mayor Pat Hackett said his year in the role had been "a humbling experience".