Three generations of the same family will fly the flag for Allerdale over the next year.

Councillor Celia Tibble, of Seaton, was this week elected as the new mayor of Allerdale.

She will be supported in her role by daughter Beth Dixon, 31, a Workington town councillor, and her eldest grandchild, 11-year-old Molly Tibble.

Both will act as consorts. Coun Tibble, 60, joined the council in 1995 and has served for all but four years since then.

Also a county and parish councillor, she was born in Workington and attended the town’s grammar school before moving to Yorkshire.

There she began her career as a police officer, working on cases including that of the Yorkshire Ripper.

She later retrained as a psychiatric nurse, a role she retired from late last year.

She met her husband Phil, an Allerdale council executive member, in Yorkshire and the couple lived there before returning to West Cumbria in 1992.

They have three children and six grandchildren.

A former Stainburn School chairman of governors and St John Ambulance volunteer,

Coun Tibble is a great supporter of Workington Reds and Maryport Blues Festival.

This is her first time as mayor.

She said: “It’s the greatest honour. I just hope I can do the office justice.

"I’ll say in 12 months how big a challenge it’s been."

Despite her young age, Ashfield Junior School pupil Molly is already into politics and was winner of a school mock election.

The former Seaton carnival queen hopes to follow in her grandparents’ footsteps and become a councillor and mayor in the future, counting her grandmother as an inspiration.

Molly said: "I’m really excited. It’s awesome. You get to do lots of stuff and help people."

Beth added: "It’s a privilege to support mum. She and my dad have been political role models for me."

Coun Tibble will support a local austism charity and Allerdale Mind during her year of office.

Both causes are close to her heart.

She was proposed for the role by Allerdale leader Alan Smith.

He said: "Celia puts helping people at the heart of everything she does."

Coun Mary Bainbridge was elected as deputy mayor for the year. Her consort will be her friend Amanda Potts.