SWITCHED-on Mayor Alfred Jealous left councillors in the dark at St Annes Town Hall.

For the light-bulbs in the Town Hall's reception room were far too bright, he decided, for an official evening soiree.

So, he called for a ladder and swapped them for softer candle bulbs, creating the mellow ambience he desired.

Next day, however, he was dismayed to find them all changed back again, as his fellow councillors were put in the shade.

Tourism and leisure chairman John Longstaff said: "It was just too dark for a business meeting. It didn't make for good debate.

"Besides, we have energy-saving bulbs throughout the Town Hall and Alfred's candle bulbs just didn't fit the bill."

Soon they were all lit up once more in the glare of the original bulbs.

But Councillor Jealous has not been deterred.

"The current light fittings just do not fit in with the Victorian decor," he said.

"They are paltry things and are far too bright. When they redecorated the reception room they should have put in period fittings.

"They promised me some dimmer switches, but I said that still would not be good enough because it does not change the fitments themselves.

"Now I hear they are thinking of putting in chandeliers, so I may have won my point."

Meanwhile, all was light and harmony when Councillor Jealous achieved two ambitions: first, to play the Wurlitzer in Blackpool's Tower Ballroom; and then on Friday to have Prince Andrew, Duke of York, as guest of honour at a dinner at Lytham Hall.

The prince had accepted an invitation from the Mayor during a visit to Fylde last year, to attend the dinner in support of Lytham Town Trust.

The trust, which bought the hall from Guardian Insurance thanks to a £1million donation from British Aerospace, is now fund-raising to restore the interior to its former grandeur.

The Mayor and his wife, Mayoress Mrs Muriel Jealous, headed a VIP guest list at the £40 a head dinner.

In an after-dinner speech, the prince spoke of his affection for the Fylde, which he visited twice last year - once for the Open Golf Championship and later for a round of golf at Royal Lytham St Annes golf course, when he stayed overnight at the Grand Hotel, St Annes.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.