PETER Swainston, the Burnley mayor who resigned after an indecency conviction, bowed out of politics last night with warm words - and another clash with his most scathing council critic.

After accepting cross party tributes the former milkman, who had served as a councillor for 23 years, slammed the "vicious and personal attacks" suffered by councillors from Independent leader Harry Brooks.

And in sharp contrast to the tributes showered on Coun Swainston, Coun Brooks told the man who quit the mayoralty two years ago after a conviction for gross indecency with another man in public toilets: "I hope the people of Burnley can forgive you."

Coun Swainston who is retiring from the council next month and says he will not return, reflected on human frailty as he made his farewell speech to the full council.

He said: "Because we are only human beings, at times we stay up and at times we fall down."

And the councillor who last year came out and announced to the council that he was gay, added: "But I know the people of Burnley are the most forgiving and compassionate people in the world."

Coun Swainston recalled the many memorable council chamber issues and the heated and passionate debates - "just like today".

But in a clear reference to Independent leader Harry Brooks' vitriolic criticism of Labour and himself, he added that was where the similarity ended. He said: "Never at any time did we see the vicious and personal attacks we have to endure during the council today."

Coun Swainston drew standing applause from Labour colleagues when at the end of his speech he thanked the people of the Barclay and Coal Clough wards he served for more than two decades for the trust they had placed in him.

Party leaders, Liberal Gordon Birtwistle, Labour's Stuart Caddy and Conservative Enid Tate all added to the warm tributes to Coun Swainston, one of four long-serving councillors standing down next month.

But the mood was not shared by Independent leader Coun Brooks.

He told the council: "I share Coun Swainston's hope that the people of Burnley can forgive him for his seedy, criminal past."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.