After every official function, Chipping Norton's mayor Cicely Maunder gives her gold chain a wash in Fairy Liquid. "If I don't, the friction makes all my clothes black," said Mrs Maunder, who was elected mayor of the Cotswold market town earlier this year.

The chain was made in honour of Queen Victoria's Jubilee and presented to the town in 1897.

But more than 100 years of official functions have taken their toll and the chain now needs repairs totalling nearly £1,000.

Mrs Maunder said: "When I became Mayor I noticed one of the Tudor roses, which are in between every other link was missing, creating a hole.

"After a very careful inspection I also realised many of the links - which are hollow - are wearing through, so quite a lot of gold soldering needs doing to it.

"We are not sure quite what it is worth. Some people say £45,000, others a lot more. It has not been valued recently," she added.

The chain will be repaired by Moreton-in-Marsh jeweller TNHill and Son, who have quoted £900 for the work.

Mrs Maunder said: "The chain was made in 15 carat gold, but that was discontinued in the 1930s so the repairs will have to made in 18 carat gold. "It will probably take a few weeks, so it will have to fit in with the functions where I need the chain."

Mrs Maunder, 50, is only the sixth woman out of 85 mayors to take up the chain of office. Albert's Jubilee present CHIPPING Norton town councillors set up an appeal in the 1890s to raise money for a chain to mark Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

Among the people approached was town councillor and MP Albert Brassey, who lived at Heythrop Park, near Enstone.

He generously told the town council to order what they would like as a chain and he would meet the full cost.

The elaborate chain of office was supplied by Chipping Norton jeweller Simms and made by the Goldsmiths Company at 112 Regent Street, London.

The money already raised through the appeal was used to buy a set of fur-trimmed mayoral robes, which are still used at the annual mayor-making in the town hall and other civic events.

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