Twelve candidates including a Scotland Yard senior officer have applied for the job of Chief Constable of Sussex Police.

The £105,780 per-annum job becomes vacant on Tuesday when outgoing chief Paul Whitehouse officially retires.

He was forced to leave early after the fatal shooting of an unarmed man in Hastings.

Among the candidates for his job are Mike Fuller, 42-year-old Deputy Assistant Commissioner with the Metropolitan Police.

If chosen, Mr Fuller, who deals with Yardie crime, would be the first black chief constable.

Also in the running is Bob Ayling, Deputy Chief Constable of Kent Police.

He is second-in-command to the highly respected Sir David Phillips, incoming chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers.

There are no women among the candidates and none have any previous connection with Sussex.

One insider said: "This is because the Sussex Police Authority and the Home Office want a completely fresh face, someone with no connections to those involved in the shooting incident."

Candidates will be interviewed in November and the new chief will take over as soon as he can be released by his employer.