A Bradford City fan who was among the crowd during the Valley Parade fire disaster has been elected as mayor of a city in the state where US President Barack Obama started his political career.

Mark Vicary, 45, was elected as Mayor of Genoa, Illinois, having already served as a city alderman for four years.

His parents, who live in Yeadon, have spoke of their pride upon hearing their son, who until recently had little involvement in politics, had reached a US city’s highest office.

Mr Vicary was born in Guiseley, but moved to Ilkley as a boy when his father Ron got a job at Ilkley Railway Station.

He attended Bolling Road Primary School and then Ilkley Grammar School, but left aged 16. At 21 he went to America to work on Camp America – a scheme that allows people to work in US summer camps. He enjoyed it so much he emigrated shortly after, getting a job for United Airlines, marrying an American, Christine, and becoming a naturalised citizen. They now have three children.

He impressed colleagues so much in his labour relations role at the airline that they encouraged him to run for office. An election for mayor was held this week after the existing mayor Todd Walker stood down after three terms in office.

Mr Vicary won with 56.8 per cent of the vote. He campaigned on a platform of police protection and revitalizing Genoa’s business community.

He even received a letter of congratulations from Mr Obama after his victory. His parents Ron, 79, and Doreen, 73, have visited Genoa several times, and say it is similar in many ways to Ilkley. His father said: “ He went back to America after his first Camp America job and never came home, except for the occasional visit.

“He is not a member of any political party, but he leans a bit more towards the Democrat side. He isn’t really political at all, he got into government more to help the people of Genoa.

“His friends thought he could do it based on his experiences in his job. They must have seen something in him. Genoa is a little place with a nice main street. You can’t imagine how proud we are of him. We are just ordinary people, he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He survived the Bradford City fire, luckily he was in the terraces away from where it started.”

Genoa has a population of 5,193 and its Main Street retains many of the buildings from the 1800s.