IT used to be the job all councillors clamoured for, but it was only the third choice candidate who agreed to don the chains for a year as Preston's Mayor.

Coun Veronica Afrin has provisionally been named as Preston's new first citizen - providing Labour retain control in the May elections - meaning she will be the town's Millennium Mayor, a job which many say will carry as much prestige as being Mayor during Guild year.

But, astonishingly, it took three attempts to find someone who wanted to carry the title. Under new rules passed by the ruling Labour Party last week, from now on, the longest serving councillor who hasn't previously been mayor will be given the honour - which carries the services of a secretary, chauffeur and countless free invites to top bashes.

Following the new procedure, it should have been Coun Ron Atkins to take Preston into the Year 2000. But he turned down the offer, saying he couldn't stand being without a political voice for a year.

He said: "It takes up all of your time and you can't become involved in party politics, which is something I have been involved with all of my life, even when I was an MP.

"You have to take part in so many public engagements and these ceremonial things aren't really my cup of tea.

"For me, it is a full time job looking after the needs of my constituents and I think they would suffer if I was mayor."

The second longest-serving councillor, Irene Black, also turned down the job.

Current Mayor Rose Kinsella said: "It should go to people who want to do it and not everyone wants the chance to be mayor.

"It is a tough job and you don't realise how tough it is until you actually do it. I will be deputy mayor next year and will support whoever the new mayor is."

Former mayor Coun Ron Marshall agreed that the job is a difficult one. He said: "While I was mayor I carried out more than 800 mayoral engagements. It is a hard job but a very prestigious one and I felt honoured to be mayor."

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