Kendal's mayor gave an emotional speech thanking the community for their steadfast support after an unusual year which saw his term extended.

Alvin Finch gave his thanks at the annual town assembly during the sharing of Kendal Town Council’s annual report and reflected on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The meeting, which had been delayed a week because of Easter, was a chance for the council and residents to look back on the previous year.

Mr Finch said: “I didn’t expect to be reporting to you on my second term of office as mayor, but this hasn’t been a normal year.

“The council has been unable to meet ‘in person’ since the end of March 2020.

"Under the Coronavirus Act, annual meetings were postponed for 12 months as our communities dealt with the disaster that has been the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Huge numbers of our citizens have been forced to work from home, been furloughed from their regular workplace, and made to self-isolate to avoid human contact.

"Some have even lost loved ones to the virus – it’s been a terrible year.

“But many have also risen to the challenge, such as the countless people we now refer to as ‘key workers’, who kept our town going when everything seemed to shut down.

“As last year, I would sincerely like to thank the following people for their help and support during my mayoral year: my wife Lisa; my children Tania, Calvin, Elisha and Taylor; my father Brian; along with work colleagues at Cumbria County Council, Kendal Town Council staff members and my fellow councillors.

“I would also like to thank the fantastic people of Kendal, who have continued to make me feel very welcome as their mayor.”

The mayors of south Cumbria, have all seen their terms in office extended due to the Covid-19 outbreak.