PRESIDING officer at Grassington polling station, Mary Wilkinson, often gets the remark from voters as they come through the door at Church House: "So you're still here!"

But no wonder - she's being doing the job for 40 years.

Her first role was as poll clerk - assistant to the presiding officer - in 1974. At the time she was working at the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The following year, Mary took over the top job and has held the post at local elections and general elections ever since.

The task is to oversee the polling station from its opening at 6.30am to 10pm when voting closes.

She then has to wait for the ballot boxes to be brought down from the surrounding villages to be assembled in Church House before taking their final trip to Skipton Town Hall to be counted.

"It's a nice friendly day and a chance to meet people," said Mary, 74.

"I still get people saying to me as they come through the door so you're still here!

"The only sad thing now is that with all the postal votes, it's not quite the same.

"I remember when I was young and went to vote there were two old chaps behind a desk who scared me to death. We try to make it relaxed and friendly.

"It's lovely to see young people coming in for the first time to vote. It can be quite daunting for them

"We get a rush at about 7am as people go to work and later as people bring their children to school. Some bring the youngsters into the polling station which is nice because it introduces them to what goes on.

"Some people like to be the first to vote and ask if they have been and others like to vote right at the end."

Her role as presiding officer means Mary, chairman of Grassington Players, will sacrifice working in the box office at tonight's opening of the group's two one-act comedies The Luvvies and Listen at the Octagon Theatre.

And to top it all, Mary is also chairman of Grassington Singers and president of the local women's institute.