Charity ball to celebrate mayor after crash death

The life of a mayor who died in a car crash will be celebrated at a charity ball.

Councillor Barry Panter, who was mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire at the time of the crash, died in hospital on 13 February, the borough council confirmed.

His widow, Beatrice Panter, said he was looking forward to the council's annual ball since he became mayor in May and had already started collecting tombola prizes.

"When Barry was in hospital after his accident, he kept asking what would happen to the event so I made a promise that I would host it on his behalf and raise some more money for his charities," she said.

"It's what he would have wanted.

"It will be very hard but I'm looking forward to meeting the guests, especially those I've worked with closely over the past 12 months."

Mrs Panter said the prizes her late husband collected had become a "standing joke" because of the amount of room they took up in their house.

The collection included a hamper, slow cooker, leather wallet and various alcoholic drinks.

The ball will be held at Keele Hall on 29 March with proceeds going towards Headway North Staffordshire and the Salvation Army in Chesterton, which were Mr Panter's chosen charities for his time as mayor.

A former RAF serviceman and police officer, Mr Panter lived in Madeley at the time of his death and had represented the Loggerheads ward on the borough council, as a Conservative, since 2016.

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