THE new mayor of Barrow has described the role as 'the honour of a lifetime'.

Chris Altree will serve as the first mayor of the newly-established Barrow Town Council after a local authority shake-up in the county.

Cllr Altree was chosen as mayor as the council met for the first time at Barrow Town Hall.

He said: "It's the honour of a lifetime for this Barrow lad to be mayor of our wonderful town. I will spend this year celebrating all that we have to offer.

"I believe my job is to shout about it from the rooftops and anyone who'd like me to highlight their work, please get in touch."

Cllr Altree, who represents the Ormsgill ward for Labour, previously failed in a bid to become the Barrow and Furness MP.

He was beaten by current MP Simon Fell when voters went to the polls in 2019.

He previously served as the chair of the Barrow Labour party and works for Network Rail.  

Cllr Judith McEwan was adopted as deputy mayor.

She said: "I feel privileged to have been elected and will strive to do this to the highest standard possible."

The meeting followed local elections held earlier this month in which Labour took a commanding majority on the new council.

The party picked up 19 of the 21 ward seats on offer, leaving the Conservatives with two.

Labour group leader Paul Griffiths said: "We have a unique, historic opportunity to shape the future, providing a strong voice for Barrow's local areas."

The new council was formed after Barrow Council merged with the Cumbria districts of South Lakeland and Eden to form the new unitary council of Westmorland and Furness. 

The council is due to hold meetings every other month.

Elsewhere in Furness, it has been announced that Cllr Nick Perie will return to serve as Dalton's mayor while Neil McDougall will serve as deputy mayor.

In Ulverston, Michelle Scrogham will continue as mayor.