The mayor’s chains and robe were handed over to Sylvia Gibson in the Chippenham mayor making ceremony on Friday evening.

After the elections the town council voted unanimously to elect Mrs Gibson as mayor and Coun John Scragg as deputy.

Marian Stickland was due to take on the top role but had to step down from the council because of ill health.

It is the second time Mrs Gibson, who lives on Carnarvon Close, has worn the mayoral chains. The Rise Trust, a charity running three children’s centres and two nurseries in Chippenham, will again be her chosen charity, as in 2009-10.

She said: “This is a locally based charity.

"In these times of austerity there has been a greater need for their help, and they have risen to the challenge and expanded to meet those needs. However the needs of our community are still growing so they are continuously in need of our help.”

Mrs Gibson, a teacher for 15 years, retired 18 months ago from Charter primary school where she taught in the autistic centre.

She said: “As mayor you find out all the little groups that work for good in Chippenham, people and groups at the heart of our community that go unnoticed a lot of the time.

"For example a lady in Kington Langley [Dot Ings] who does a whist drive for the British Heart Foundation every year. I want to help those unsung heroes to raise their profile.”