Labour city councillor Bernard Bell will be the next Sheriff of York.

It will be the second time Coun Bell, 74, who represents the Micklegate ward, has done the job, as he served as Sheriff from 1991 to 1992.

And he is certainly no stranger to holding civic office, having also been Lord Mayor of the city from 1992 to 1993.

During his previous terms of office, Coun Bell was a widower, and his daughter Janet served as both Sheriff's Lady and Lady Mayoress.

Since then, he has married again, and his wife Doris will be the new Sheriff's Lady.

The Sheriff of York is appointed personally by the Lord Mayor-elect, who this year is Coun Derek Smallwood.

Coun Bell said: "I'd imagine it's because I know him very well that I was appointed. I shall be giving him full support. I'm looking forward to it.

"When I was Sheriff before, it was the old city council, I'm looking forward to the challenge of the bigger area."

Coun Bell was first elected in 1971, and has represented Heworth, Walmgate and his current ward Micklegate, which he took from the Conservatives in 1975.

He spent his working life as a driver for British Rail for 43 years, from the days of steam through to high-speed diesel.

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