OUTGOING mayor of Yate Mike Robbins is celebrating the end of his term of office with the news he has been waiting for, a clean bill of health.

Mike, 73, has only missed four engagements during his mayorship despite battling an aggressive form of stomach cancer.

"Being mayor has given me something to concentrate on rather than sitting around feeling sorry for myself," he said.

"I have really enjoyed my term of office, it has been great."

War veteran Mike, of Kent Avenue, was diagnosed with the disease last year and underwent a course of invasive treatment using living bacteria.

"The sessions were uncomfortable and I had an allergic reaction to the treatment," he said.

"Then doctors thought I had tuberculosis. I am 95 percent recovered from the reaction and have to go to the cancer clinic this week where hopefully they will clear up a few little things hanging around. Then I can go swimming again."

For Mike, a town councillor for more than two decades and a South Gloucestershire district councillor, his civic responsibilities have helped him fight the illness.

"I have really enjoyed the events for children such as the Easter bonnet parade and egg hunt," he said.

"Opening the treetop adventure play area at Kingsgate Park was certainly a highlight. I am very proud of that facility."

He said development in the town, including the new health centre, redeveloped library and leisure centre, and the creation of new footpaths and walks in Peg Hill, will make Yate a better place to live.

But there are some projects the mayor for the past two years wishes he could have pursued.

He said: "One thing I am really sad about is not being able to persuade shopping centre owners the Dominion Trust to sell the disused Swan pub so it could be turned into a youth community centre.

"I also want to see some acceleration on the youth café project and I think the decision to sell the former Sea Stores sites was a mistake.

"We are going to get enough houses in surrounding areas but to put them on the last piece of usable land in Yate was a diabolical mistake."

Mike has another two years to serve as councillor and said he was not yet ready to retire from his public duties completely.

"I have some allotments which will occupy my time," he said.

"Most of all though, I am looking forward to being well enough to go swimming and fishing again with my grandsons."

Mike’s successor, fellow district councillor Ian Blair was sworn in as mayor of Yate at a full council meeting on Tuesday.