A city official who wanted to include an elderly woman in a photo op about a snow-shovelling programme had a middle-aged male bus driver dress up in a wig, earrings, lipstick and a dress.

The driver stood next to Allan Fung, the mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, at a news conference touting the programme, wearing a name tag that said "Cranston Senior Home Resident".

WJAR-TV uncovered the ruse in reports this week, and Sue Stenhouse, the city's director of senior services who organised the news conference, has since resigned.

An aide for the mayor declined to explain, saying it was a personnel matter, but two city councillors told the Providence Journal they believe the stunt was meant to deceive.

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