STOURPORT has welcomed a new Mayor, who says his main priorities will be to lift the town’s image and to tackle any challenges brought by "Mr Tesco".

David Little, who previously served as Mayor of Stourport in 1989/1990 said: “I am delighted. We have got some challenging times ahead. The town’s looking a bit delapidated in places like the high street and the Swan, which used to be the centre point on the whole street but it’s been let go. I have got to have some dialogue with the owner to see if we can do some work.”

The Conservative councillor who held seats on Wyre Forest District Council in Mitton and Lickhill until about 10 years ago added: “I am looking forward to the challenging four years ahead. I am doing the first year as Mayor and I am sure my colleagues share my view that there is a need to lift Stourport’s image.

"We need to get people’s pride back into the town. We had a wonderful £4.5 million spent on the basins but the town needs the same sort of regeneration.”

Mr Little, 72, moved to Stourport from Corbridge in Northumberland in 1963 and to work as an engineer at Summerfield Reasearch Station in Kidderminster.

He said: “Mr Tesco is coming to town so we will have to see how the town copes with the Tesco-generated traffic. That’s always been my concern.

"It’s not that far from the town and I think there’s two hours of free parking like there is in Kidderminster. I know people park at Tesco in Kidderminster and walk into the town centre and we would hope that would happen in Stourport also but we won’t know until it happens. It might encourage people to do their shopping in the town.”

The Stourport town councillor has three sons and eight grandchildren between the ages of 22 and six weeks old. He said his wife Shirley is looking forward to supporting him as Mayoress and he has "two beautiful grand daughters who are now approaching 16 and 17 who will step in if necessary."