A young mum yesterday pulled on the famous monkey suit which catapulted an unknown soccer fan into the political spotlight.

Student Ceri Anderson, 26, stepped into the furry shoes of Stuart Drummond, the mayor of Hartlepool who started out as soccer mascot H'Angus the Monkey.

In an unlikely turn of events H'Angus ended up winning the mayoral race after standing as a joke on the one issue ticket of free bananas for children.

On gaining his new £50,000-a-year post Mr Drummond hastily cast aside the ape suit which earned him the job in the first place.

Political figures like Peter Mandelson, the town's MP, felt it would bring the good name of Hartlepool in disrepute.

So Hartlepool United had to hold auditions for a new H'Angus, with dozens of fans applying for the coveted job.

The shortlist was whittled down to six, with each candidate wearing the suit for a half in the club's pre-season games.

Ceri was deemed the most monkey-like and was delighted to be told she had landed the job.

The aspiring English teacher described the moment she pulled on the Monkey's head for the first time.

The mother-of-one, whose son Ralf, seven, urged her to apply for the post, said: "I can't believe I am actually H'Angus the Monkey. It's a dream come true.

"It was my son's idea. We are both big fans of Hartlepool and when the post was free he begged me to go for it. I never thought I'd get it but I'm so glad I did.

"H'Angus is a Hartlepool legend and it is actually a big honour, especially now that he's known around the world."

The footie fan is entering her second year of English Education at Sunderland University and hopes to become a teacher.

She added: "I will be a teacher by day and H'Angus by night. He will be my alter-ego." Ceri played the Monkey for the first time at Hartlepool's win over Boston United and hopes she keeps up the positive vibe for the club to go on and win the Third Division title.