A STATIONMASTER'S daughter is to become mayor of Carnforth for the third time.

Cllr Pat Wooff told the Gazette she hopes to make road safety a priority during her mayoral year, and she is looking forward to colourful events such as Carnforth in Bloom and the town's carnival.

Mrs Wooff, of North Road, described it as "an honour" to serve the community and she praised Carnforth Town Council as "a fantastic bunch, such a dedicated band of people with a wealth of knowledge".

Her close ties with the council began almost 45 years, and she has fond memories of "a smashing year" during 1977 when Carnforth celebrated the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Mrs Wooff chaired the council that year, which saw the town's swimming pool opened and every child given a commemorative mug at the former Steamtown railway museum, home of the Flying Scotsman, where Mrs Wooff worked.

She took a break from council duties to focus on work and magistrate duties in 1983, returning to the council chamber in 1999.

The young Pat moved to Carnforth in 1954 from Wales, when her father was promoted to relief stationmaster. Mrs Wooff and her late husband, Lance, from Warton, had two children - Philip and Leonie - and she has two grandsons, Christian and Oliver.

Deputy mayor for 2017/18 will be Cllr Bob Roe, who runs the Shovel Inn pub in Carnforth. They first served as mayor and deputy together in 2005, attending a Buckingham Palace garden party and a reception hosted by PM Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street to celebrate community work. Mrs Wooff was mayor again in 2010.

As a committee member of Carnforth Air Training Corps, she is passionate about the role its young cadets play in the town, and she is also a director of Carnforth Station Trust.

"I'm proud to serve the town; I think it's quite an honour," Mrs Wooff told the Gazette. "It's just a good community to live in and we try to keep it that way."

The change over will take place in May.