Hard-working Doreen Savage has today become Felixstowe's mayor for the third time.The Felixstowe woman has been deputy mayor for the past 12 months and that immediately followed a year as chairman of Suffolk Coastal council.

Hard-working Doreen Savage has today become Felixstowe's mayor for the third time.

The Felixstowe woman has been deputy mayor for the past 12 months and that immediately followed a year as chairman of Suffolk Coastal council.

"It is a great honour to represent your town and I really do enjoy it – I wouldn't do it otherwise," said Mrs Savage, who was born and educated in Felixstowe.

"It is quite a challenge, too, and this is the second time I have been mayor of a new council straight after an election. I hope I will be able to help new members settle in and be able to watch them flower."

Mrs Savage has been a town councillor since 1983 – bar just a few months when her party forgot in 1999 to sign her nomination papers and she had to wait for a by-election to regain her seat – and a district councillor since 1987.

For most of that time she has represented the seafront ward where she grew up and lived for many years, but now represents Old Felixstowe.

She is chairman of the licensing committee, Felixstowe resort regeneration forum, Langer Primary School governors and Felixstowe Sea Cadets, and vice chairman of the Felixstowe CAB management committee.

She is looking forward to her year ahead, and expects, with her mayor's consort, friend Peggy Osborne, to attend probably around 200 events and occasions, including the 30th anniversary celebrations of the resort's twinning arrangement with its German partner Wesel.

Mrs Savage said she would be working to promote the needs of the resort's young people during her year in office.

She particularly wanted to help the two high schools' bids for arts and technology status, the flood memorial at Langer school, Kingsfleet Nursery's drive for new equipment, campaign for a new guiding HQ, and the Sea Cadets.