Business

The new mayor of the Manx capital is hoping to work with businesses to "increase footfall" in the city centre.

Steven Crellin, who was unanimously elected and will serve in the role for a year, was sworn in at a ceremony on Wednesday.

He takes over from Natalie Byron-Teare, who held the position for two years. She declared Mr Crellin would serve the residents with "great determination and passion".

Accepting the role, Mr Crellin said: "I am truly honoured to serve, and I will do so with pride, determination and an unwavering commitment to making Douglas an even better place to live, work, and thrive."

The new mayor said he was "honoured and humbled" to have be given the role, and spoke of an "abiding optimism", urging council and community to "shape a future" that was "inclusive, vibrant and full of opportunity".

Crellin, who had previously held the position of deputy mayor, described that experience as "invaluable", allowing him an "overview of how everything is put together, and how events are organised".

He said his theme, as mayor, was community and business, adding: "I can't wait to get going".

The mayor has selected three chosen charities for the coming year: Hospice Isle of Man, Riding for the Disabled and Dot's Dream Foundation.

Councillor Peter Washington was elected to serve as his deputy.

It follows last week's appointment of Devon Watson as council leader for Douglas.

From farmers showing their prize animals, or businesses showing off their latest ranges of machinery, the Royal Cornwall Show celebrates everything related to farming. Farmers, competitors, organisers, exhibitors and businesses have shared what makes the event special for them.

The Royal Cornwall Show has roots that go back to 1793 when the Cornwall Agricultural Society was formed and a ploughing match was held near Truro.

These days it is the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, and since 1960 the event has been based in Wadebridge.

Between Thursday and Saturday, about 120,000 are expected to attend this year to see some of the abundance of displays, from animals to food, floristry to forestry.

Ian Hodge, who has a dairy farm next door to the 95-acre showground, is one of the stewards in the countryside area and has been attending since the 1970s.

He followed in the footsteps of his father who started stewarding in 1968 and did it for 40 years.

"My brother is a steward, my father in law is a steward, and my brother in law is a steward so we do quite a bit to help," he said.

"[My father] was chief steward of the main entrances and met all the royals – he loved it."

In that time he said he has only missed one day, in 1978, when his mother made him stay at home because he was unwell.

"I remember being mad that I had to go and spend the day with Nan… I made a miraculous recovery and away I went the next day," he said.

Mr Hodge said the event was a chance "to see everyone in the farming community coming together" from across the county and beyond.

"It's truly agricultural, unlike some of the others which have tended to move away from that… it is certainly in the top four or five shows in the country as being very agricultural, but it does cater for other things as well," he said.

His daughter Bea, 24, is chairwoman of the Wadebridge Young Farmers club and has been on site for several days preparing for the club's display, having won last year with the club's Dad's Army themed entry.