An 18-year-old American is about to combine high school with politics - by becoming mayor of his home town.

Michael Sessions - who last year ran for his school council and lost - has been elected mayor of Hillsdale, a town of 8,200 in the US state of Michigan.

He ousted the 51-year-old incumbent in a campaign costing $700 paid for by a summer job selling toffee apples.

Mr Sessions says he intends to carry on studying through his four-year term and will go to town meetings after class.

He is due to take up the part-time position, which offers a $3,600 stipend, on 21 November.

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