Ex-journalist Burt Keimach has been elected mayor of the Lincolnshire town of Market Rasen.

His busy globe-trotting career means that his eight years there is the longest he has settled anywhere in the world.

And just six days after being elected a Conservative district councillor he was last night elected Town Mayor.

A 30-year career in journalism saw him write for a succession of American newspapers, then join radio stations and wire services before spending time in the Middle East and London, handling press relations for a range of firms.

He is also fluent in Hebrew and French after living in Israel and France.

Now taking a break from such a hectic career, his mission for the council is to make it “more open and transparent” and he is keen to boost involvement and ideas from local people.

His civic role will focus on fund-raising for a charity for the blind and will follow his predecessor by dropping civic functions in favour of putting his allowance into charitable causes.