A city councillor with more than 30 years' service has been made the new Mayor of Brighton and Hove.

Tory Pat Drake replaces Labour's Jeane Lepper, making it the first time there have been two female first citizens in a row.

Coun Drake's husband, John, who was also a councillor, died two years ago.

She was a tax practitioner for the Inland Revenue and then Grant Thornton before continuing in private practice.

She joined East Sussex County Council, which in 1973 took over many functions from Brighton, and was one of only two members to serve continuously until Brighton and Hove City Council was formed in 1997.

Coun Drake was the first woman to chair the highways and finance committees.

She has two daughters and a son. One daughter, Karen Martin, from Henfield, will be mayoress.

Coun Drake has chosen three charities to support - the Martlets Hospice in Hove, the Rockinghorse Appeal for the Royal Alexandra children's hospital and the Sussex Lantern, which helps blind people.

A cup presented to John Leonhardt Brigden in the Victorian era after he had been Mayor of Brighton four times has been handed to her for the city by his family. Coun Drake has a long-standing business association with the Brigdens.