A PLEA has been made by the Mayor of Sandwich for the appointment of the new Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports to be speeded up.

As civic head of the town, Cllr Joe Trussler is also Speaker of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports, but on May 16 his two-year term in office ends.

He said: "The decision is not rocket science and the continued delay is so annoying. The Confederation is being ignored.

"If only a decision would be made in my last two weeks as Sandwich Mayor. That would really be a good achievement."

Cllr Trussler wrote protest letters to 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace last year calling for an announcement about the successor to the late Queen Mother.

Tony Blair suggested a decision was imminent, but five months later the new Lord Warden has still not been named.

The Queen Mother took the title in 1979 and became a regular summer visitor to Walmer Castle, her official residence until her death at Easter 2002.

Cllr Trussler added: "There continues to be so many conflicting stories about the new Lord Warden and Prince Charles has been mentioned. It is all talk, talk, talk and no decision."

Apart from Prince Charles, other suggestions for Lord Warden have included Prince Andrew, former South African leader Nelson Mandela and former Prime Minister John Major.