The new mayor of Brighton and Hove is no stranger to the spotlight.

But Carol Theobald, who twice won Miss Brighton, must get used to wearing chains of office around her neck rather than a beauty queen's sash.

The Conservative councillor for Patcham, 59, was given the title at a ceremony last night.

She had just a week to get used to the idea - she was nominated after mayor-elect Ken Bodfish lost his seat in this month's council elections.

She said: "It is very exciting but it's all very last minute."

As mayor, she will preside over a finely balanced council, with the Conservatives two seats short of an overall majority.

When the votes are tied, Coun Theobald will be left with the casting vote.

She told The Argus: "I wish it wasn't that way.

"It is nice for mayors to be non-political."

Her first duty will be to meet the Duke of Gloucester when he opens the New Larchwood extra care scheme in Waldron Avenue, Coldean, and the St John Ambulance centre in Crowhurst Road, Hollingbury, today.

As mayor, her chosen charities are the Martlets Hospice and disabled children's charity Whoopsadaisy, which were both also chosen by her predecessor Coun David Smith, and the Pink Dolphin Breast Cancer Appeal.

As an Evening Argus girl in the late 1960s, Carol Ann Bull, as she was then known, became a well known face to our readers.

She has fond memories of promoting raffles, attending fetes and charity events and delivering prizes to Lost Ball competition winners.

She won 47 regional and national beauty pageants in her teens and early 20s.

She married her husband Geoffrey Theobald in 1973, later serving as his mayoress.

Now the tables are turned, with Geoffrey preparing to spend a year as consort to the mayor.

It is not the first time the political veteran has been overshadowed by his wife. He recalled: "When The Argus reported the mayormaking on the front page, I had a relatively small picture and Carol had an enormous one."

Carol - or the Right Worshipful the Mayor of the City of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Carol Theobald, as she will be known for the next year - officially took over from Coun Smith at yesterday's ceremony.

The mother of four is the third Theobald to hold the office in Brighton.

Her father-in-law, Stanley Theobald, was mayor in 1971. He was involved in the building of the Brighton Centre and Brighton Marina and the restoration of the Royal Pavilion, as well as the arrival of the American Express offices in Edward Street, Brighton.