Leominster town councillors went ahead to name the next mayor and deputy mayor despite a plea to delay the move. An election is looming.

Voters go to the polls in May to fill the 16 seats on the town council. Councillor June French called for the selection of mayor and deputy to be deferred to save potential 'embarrassment'.

Those selected for the civic leadership roles could not know, at this stage, whether they would be able to hold on to their council seats, she said.

Councillor Molly Cooke said she had once found herself as mayor-elect in the run up to an election and agreed that Mrs French had a point.

"You are worried that you are going to look like a right flipping nana if you don't get in," she said.

The council was told a town mayor did not have to be an elected councillor to chair meetings - but if the mayor was not a councillor he or she could not take part in votes.

Town Clerk John Wesley said Leominster's tradition was to nominate and approve a mayor elect and a deputy in February in preparation for the start of the new local government year. The council agreed to stick to its custom.

Councillor Janet Atkinson, a trade union branch organiser, was nominated and seconded by her Labour colleagues Ann Tether and Peter Goody. She was named as Leominster's mayor-elect for 2003-2004 and will take over from the current mayor, Conservative Roger Hunt, in May.

Labour's John Thomas and Conservative Pauline Davies proposed and seconded Tory Peter Jones for deputy mayor. Both nominations won the unanimous support of the council.