A Workington councillor took centre stage at the Labour Party conference last week as he led the singing to round off the event.

Town councillor Antony McGuckin attended the conference as Workington's delegate and met key politicians including new party leader Jeremy Corbyn, deputy leader Tom Watson and shadow cabinet members including Yvette Cooper, Andy Burnham and Margaret Beckett.

Through contacts at the party's head office, the keen performer was invited to join a staff member to lead the 10,000 people at conference in singing party anthem The Red Flag, followed by Jerusalem.

Their rendition, alongside Mr Corbyn and other key party members on stage, was viewed by an estimated four million people across the world.

Coun McGuckin, who trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, traveled the world with choirs and performed in the West End before deciding to return to Workington.

The 42-year-old, of Newlands Lane, now chairs the town council's culture committee and co-ordinated last year's town twinning concert.

Coun McGuckin, who works for Listers Furnishings, said: "It was a great experience and one I'd like to do again.

"It was surreal. I have sung in front of more than 10,000 people in the past but never at a conference like that.

"Normally it's people from down south who get the opportunity so it's nice for someone from this area to do it."

Coun McGuckin also took along his Times & Star to the event and took the opportunity to have his picture taken with some of the party's leading members.