‘MISSION accomplished’.

That is how former Otley Town Mayor Councillor Nigel Francis is feeling after making the final donation from his 14 + 1 Appeal. Cllr Francis raised £31,000 for a variety of good causes during his 2017-2018 mayoral year.

He has now presented the last, £2,000 portion of the proceeds to Natureland Seal Sanctuary at Skegness - which was set up by the Yeadon family after they had moved from Otley more than 50 years ago.

Cllr Francis said: “Whenever you do a big appeal and raise a large amount you try and present the cheques within a few months of finishing but in this case, due to family bereavements, everything had to go on hold.

“We did manage to make the other donations, supporting everything from a library in Gambia to the Otley Navvies Memorial, and now at last we have visited the seal sanctuary to make the final presentation - and also got to see the seals and feed the penguins!”