MORE than 130 guests wined, dined and danced the night away at a civic ball organised by the Mayor of March, Councillor Andrew Pugh.

The charity event, attended by civic heads from across the county, was held at the Braza Club, March, on Friday.

Proceeds – which include a raffle which raised �450 - will be split between charities supported by the Mayor.

The toast to the town of March was proposed by Cambs Times Editor John Elworthy who praised Cllr Pugh for his support for the community over the past year and complimented him on attending over 200 local events.

“To the town of March I offer a massive thank you to all you have provided us with these past 12 months,” said Mr Elworthy.

“We all grapple with an uncertain future but I have the utmost confidence that our outgoing mayor, as have many before him and many yet to come, will uphold the value each of us have for this extraordinary and exhilarating town.”

In a light hearted speech he promised March was “no longer content to be just the capital of the Fens but we have an, as yet, hidden aspiration that goes deeper” referring to the possibility of Fenland merging with two other local councils.

He said: Be assured that should the combined aspirations of your elected leaders succeed in twinning- or should it be tripling- us with the relatively minor parishes and towns that encompass East Cambs and Huntingdonshire, we may yet become the capital of FenCambsHunts-in-shire or whatever tautological, tongue twisting authority emerges.”

Cllr Pugh, in response, thanked his family for their support, the town council staff for their efforts, and listed many of the highlights of his civic year.

“Tonight is the icing on the cake and my thanks to so many friends and colleagues who have turned out to support my wife, Silvia, and I not just tonight but through the year.

“Thank you for attending and making my year as mayor of this wonderful and historic town so memorable.”

Toastmaster was Alister Hopkin, Beadle of Wisbech, who introduced guests after they had been welcomed at the entrance by an honour guard by March ATC.