One hundred days after Donald Trump became President of the United States very little appears to have changed in Monessen, a beleaguered former steel town in rural Pennsylvania. Until, that is, you step into the Mayor's office.

"I've done it, I've finally sold City Hall!" exclaims Mayor Lou Mavrakis, 75, hopping out of his chair like a Jack-in-the-box. "It's the Trump effect. That's what 100 days means to me."

When the Telegraph last visited Mr Mavrakis, during the election campaign, he was mired in gloom. He had long been trying to sell the four-storey concrete building in a desperate bid to help plug Monessen's $13.5 million debt. But no-one wanted to invest in a decaying city.

"It's the real deal, someone's bought it to turn into a cancer therapy centre," Mr Mavrakis said. "People will come from everywhere. That means hotels, restaurants, jobs.

"This is happening because of Trump. He put places like this on the map, you better believe it. Nothing had happened in this goddamn place for decades but after what's happened in the last couple of months I'm optimistic."