KATE Wheller’s family have been fishing locally for some 50 years, so the mayor of Weymouth and Portland has an added interest in the upcoming angling championships.

Wheller, pictured, is looking forward to welcoming the world’s anglers to Weymouth and is keen to get out and about to see some of the action for herself.

A lover of bass fishing, Wheller, whose husband, sons and grandson fish, knows how profitable the waters around the town are.

That, plus the hospitality visitors receive, is what she feels makes Weymouth such a good location for big fishing events.

“These events are terrific for the town and I know that as a council we are very appreciative of the work the anglers do and the people they bring to the area,” she said.

“It’s a huge benefit to the town because you’ve got anglers coming and their families to support them.

“Our waters are particularly good and a couple of years ago I had the opportunity to talk to anglers from around the world and they said they really enjoyed competing here.

“They enjoyed staying in Weymouth and anglers really do look forward to coming to the town. And it’s not just the fishing, it’s the welcome they get here.”

Like Weymouth Carnival and the Seafood Festival, the back-to-back angling championships are set to provide a major boost to the local economy.

And that is something the mayor is understandably delighted about.

She added: “It has a significant impact on the local economy and the championships are an important addition to our events calendar.”