A CAMPANOLOGIST has received a ringing endorsement from his fellow councillors after being appointed as Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate.

Masham church bell ringer and councillor Nigel Simms, who has served on the borough council since 1999, received the chains of office and saw his wife of 30 years, Lynn, become Mayoress at a ceremony at the Royal Hall in Harrogate.

Cllr Simms replaces Harrogate councillor Jim Clark, who attended 500 official functions during his year in the role.

Cllor Simms, who was born in the Lower Wensleydale town in 1953, went to school in Masham and Bedale, before working at joinery contractors J Hodgson (Masham) Limited, where he became a partner.

While serving on the borough council he has served as chair of the planning committee and is chair of the Nidderdale Area of Natural Beauty’s joint advisory committee.

He said: “I consider it a great honour to be mayor of this beautiful and diverse district and am very much looking forward to representing the council and everyone in the Harrogate district throughout my mayoral year.”