Hasina Khan was named Lancashire’s first female Asian mayor when she took over the robes and chains at a ceremony last night.

It is the second time that Cllr Khan hit the headlines as she was the first Asian woman to serve as a councillor in 2006.

Cllr Khan, who represents the Chorley East ward, is very much looking forward to the year with a focus on promoting inclusion across the borough.

“It’s a great honour for me and I am really excited to start my year as Mayor,” said Councillor Khan.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting lots of different people and having grown up in Chorley it’s going to be great to learn more about what’s happening in the borough as you don’t always get to hear about all the brilliant things that are going on here.

“I’ll be continuing the work we’ve been doing to unite communities, as well as the promoting of equality across the Chorley Borough.”

Hasina moved to Chorley from India in the mid-60s with her mother to meet her father who was working in the mills here in Chorley. 

She attended local schools St James’s Primary School and Albany High School (now Albany Academy), before starting her career as a freelancer for Radio Lancashire and for Pakistan-based newspaper Daily Jang.

“We are a very close-knit family, and the support my family has shown has really helped me to achieve what I have over the years,” said Cllr Khan.

“It’s a really exciting time to be in Chorley with all the new developments that will open during my Mayoral year.”