THE Mayor of Winchester has an artistic memento of his time in office.

David McLean has received the portrait from local artist Tricia Spink at his official residence Abbey House.

She was in Cathedral Close last August helping to demonstrate painting at the Celebration of Recovery for ex-prisoners, when the Mayor sat down on a bench at lunchtime for a break.

“I quickly put up my easel, sketched in two or three drawings then he spied me and came over. He then asked me if I would do his portrait professionally. I agreed and came to Abbey House for four sittings in January/February this year.

Tricia said she was put at ease by the mayor and his wife Diane.

“The Mayor was an excellent subject, very relaxed and humourous during the hourly sittings in which we talked about his work, his family and the many friends he had made during his time as mayor. “At the final sitting, he expressed sadness as his term of office was shortly coming to an end.

“It was such an honour for me to be commissioned to paint a portrait of the Mayor and his words to me were ‘We love it.’

Cllr Frank Pearson was due to become the new first citizen at a mayor-making in the Guildhall last night.