Kath takes over as Blackpool Mayor at Town Hall ceremony

She has taken over as first citizen from Coun Amy Cross who held the honour for three years due to her civic duties being disrupted by the Covid pandemic.

Coun Benson is following in the footsteps of her late father Leo Pomfret, who was Mayor of Blackpool in 1987.

She will be accompanied during her mayoral year by her sister Therese Clark as Mayoress and has chosen Streetlife, the Blackpool-based charity which supports young homeless people as her mayoral charity.

Coun Peter Hunter was inaugurated as Deputy Mayor, with Mrs Anne-Marie Hunter as the Deputy Mayoress.

Speaking ahead of her inauguration, Coun Benson said: "I want my mayoral year to be about going out there and meeting people, and I'm also looking forward to seeing lots of street parties as part of the Jubilee celebrations this year."