New town mayor Mike Rodger said he has cash backing from local firms for a scheme to recreate the aerial view of the town centre using thousands of tile fragments – one from each child in the town aged 11 or under.

He hopes to enlist the help of local artists to oversee the latest arts project for Newbury, and said: “I want to support a project to produce a large mosaic of an aerial view of the town by local artists.

“I also want to ensure that every primary age kid can put in a piece. I have already been able to secure major funding from local companies.”

Mr Rodger, the owner of Desmoulin art gallery, was invested as Newbury’s 407th mayor on Sunday, replacing Peter Greenhalgh, and with just a year to make his mark, he promised to lend a hand to youth groups.

During his last stint as mayor five years ago, Mr Rodger was ribbed by town hall colleagues for resembling the portly Trumpton mayor, but this time round, the 53-year-old looked svelte as he prepared to face a punishing schedule of attending around 250 functions over the next 12 months.

He will, however, have wife Amanda – the new mayoress – on hand, or Deputy Mayor Val Bull to help out.