LONG-serving Newton Abbot town councillor Henry Cole has been made the first Freeman of the town.

He was presented with the honour in the town hall council chamber on Wednesday by mayor Cllr Carol Bunday and deputy mayor Cllr Jo Avery.

Cllr Cole received a large gilt-edged framed signed scroll printed on parchment, with the wax council seal and bearing the resolution: 'The council admits Henry Louis Joseph Cole to the honorary freedom of the town as he has, in the opinion of the council, rendered eminent and exceptional service to the town of Newton Abbot'.

He was also given the first Freeman of Newton Abbot badge.

A cake was made especially for the occasion featuring models of St Leonard's Clock Tower and Cllr Cole sitting in the stocks in his civil war uniform and drum.

The father of the council, on which he has served for 18 years, retires from local government after next week's elections.

It is not only on the council that Cllr Cole has served the town for he has, for many years, been a prominent worker in the community.

He was the first to open St Leonard's Tower to visitors and the first to re-start band concerts in the Courtenay Park Bandstand and has been at every council event.

Councillors had unanimously agreed to give Cllr Cole the honour of Freeman after paying him glowing tributes.

As a Freeman of Newton Abbot, Cllr Cole will receive an invite from the council to attend all civic and town events, and he can also be invited to speak at council meetings.