Patrick the Pony to become Mayor of Cockington after a petition
Patrick the Pony will become the mayor of a Devon village this weekend
Last updated 22nd Jul 2022
A popular therapy pony - known for enjoying a sip of Guinness in his local pub - will this weekend be made the mayor of Cockington.
The non-official position being given to Patrick the Pony is the result of more than 200 people signing an online petition.
While some locals support the idea, others are less keen.
The village is overseen by Torbay Council and the mayoral idea is to help boost tourism to the well preserved quintessentially English village.
While Patrick will not have any decision-making power - or attend meetings - the ceremonial role will see him attending civic functions.
In March The Drum Inn created a special area for Patrick to enjoy his favourite tipple - after the closure of the local horse drawn carriage business which owned him.
Before that almost 4,000 people signed a petition calling for help to save the business and the family of the former owner Rick Passmore - dubbed 'Mr Cockington' - also backed the campaign, saying he too spent every day battling to keep the horses in the village.
A vet's report suggested the winter grazing land being offered has become unsafe for the horses - and advised K&H Cockington Carriages to find an alternative site.
Patrick remains a therapy horse and is still looked after by the former K&H carriages owners Kirk and Hannah in the Torbay area.
The Mayor making ceremony takes place on Saturday night.
Click here for more about Patrick The Pony