Weight row over mayor's chain

Chain reaction: Mrs Owen has to bear the weight of Cardigan's ceremonial jewellery

The weight of office is getting too much for the mayor of a coastal town and his wife.

The his-and-her mayoral chains in Cardigan date back to 1842 and for every new mayor, another link is added.

The current mayor, David Lloyd Owen, escapes quite lightly but his wife, Polly, is struggling to keep control of hers and wants it replaced with a lighter version.

But the idea has not gone down well among other councillors on the authority, who claim altering the chain is tantamount to turning their backs on history.

Although the consort's chain was not created until 1930, it already weighs in at over a kilo and there are five more of the gold links waiting to go on.

The chain splits - it would fall into your soup! Mayor's wife, Polly Owen

Mrs Owen wants to lift some of the burden from her shoulders during those formal occasions when she has to wear the chain.

But that would mean some of the gold chain's historic 65 links would have to go.

She said the length of the chain, and the high flexibility of its linked construction, means it soon develops a life of its own as she meets and greets the public or attends a ceremonial dinner.

She said: "If you are not straight, they just come straight down. The chain splits. It would fall into your soup.

Weighty matter? David Lloyd Owen does not have to carry as much gold on official duties

"A lighter chain would be a good idea."

But her claim that the ceremonial jewellery is becoming a pain in the neck has left some on the council unmoved.

Councillor Barbara Myers is adamant the chain should not be changed.

"The mayors who have the honour of being a mayor of Cardigan, when they were alive, they saw those links being put on, and they were admired for that," she said.

"To remove one and put it in a cupboard, it isn't right. They're disassembling a part of history."