THE mayor of Newton Abbot, Cllr Carol Bunday, proudly wore the new mayoral chain at Wednesday's town council meeting.

It was the first time the chain of office had been worn at a council meeting since its purchase for £2,000.

Cllr Bunday, attending her first council meeting since a spell in hospital and recovering at home after suffering a serious angina attack, said it had got to the point where the old mayoral chain was showing its age.

'It was looking tired and showing lots of wear and tear,' she said.

The former chain was 37 years old, having been purchased in 1974 on the reorganisation of local government.

Cllr Bunday said she had made a full recovery from her illness and praised the staff at Newton Abbot and Torbay hospitals for their first class treatment and attention.