The Liberal Democrats have chosen Swinton Park owner Felicity Cunliffe-Lister as their candidate for the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election on May 2.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister's political career began last year when she was elected to represent Masham and Fountains on North Yorkshire Council in a by-election following the death of long-serving Conservative councillor Margaret Atkinson.

She worked as a commercial development solicitor before moving to Masham with husband Mark 24 years ago following the family buy-back of Swinton Park.  The couple converted the castle into a hotel and opened it in 2001.

The Swinton estate as a whole now has a £6 million turnover and employs 150 people.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said:

Tom Gordon, the Lib Dem candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough in the general election, said:

There are just 87 days until the election and the Conservatives, Labour and the Greens all announced their candidates some time ago.

She will be up against Conservative Keane Duncan, Labour's David Skaith, Green candidate Kevin Foster and Independent Keith Tordoff.

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• Labour Party selects candidate to stand for North Yorkshire mayor