TWO former Thames Valley Police officers are leading candidates to become the country's top chief this week.

Sara Thornton and Cressida Dick are among the favourites to succeed outgoing Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sit Bernard Hogan-Howe, as head of Scotland Yard.

Those vying to become Britain's top cop will speak to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Policing Minister Brandon Lewis tomorrow.

An announcement on the appointment will be made after the interviews.

The four senior figures widely seen as being in the running include Ms Dick, Ms Thornton, Mark Rowley and Stephen Kavanagh.

If the job is given to Ms Dick or Ms Thornton, it will mean the Met will have its first female commissioner.

Ms Thornton is a former Chief Constable of Thames Valley, whereas Ms Dick served as a superintendent for a brief period in the region.

Now a director-general at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ms Dick was previously the country's most senior female police officer before she left the Met after 31 years in December 2014.

The national lead for police counter-terrorism for three years, including during the Olympics, Ms Dick oversaw many of Scotland Yard's most sensitive investigations, including into phone hacking and parliamentary expenses.

Ms Dick came under intense scrutiny when she was in charge of the operation that led to the fatal shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who was wrongly identified as a potential suicide bomber.

A jury cleared Ms Dick of any blame in his death.

Ms Thornton, Chairwoman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, was chief constable of Thames Valley Police for nearly eight years. She also served with the Met for 15 years from 1986.

Mr Kavanagh, now the chief constable of Essex Police, had a long and varied career at Scotland Yard including working in homicide, counter-terrorism and anti-corruption.

Mr Rowley, an assistant commissioner at the Met, has come to prominence in his role as national lead for counter-terrorism. He was previously chief constable of Surrey Police.

The appointment is for a fixed term of five years, with the possibility of an initial extension of up to three years which can then be followed by unlimited one-year extensions.

The successful candidate will earn a salary of £270,648, plus benefits.

The appointment will be made by the Queen following a recommendation from Ms Rudd.

Before settling on her choice, she must "have regard" to any recommendation from the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime, which is headed by Mr Khan.

Sir Bernard has delivered a number of stark warnings in the final weeks of his tenure.

In January he said the "warning lights are flashing" after figures laid bare the scale of fraud and cyber crime and showed a jump in violent offences recorded by forces.

He also warned his successor will have to run the Met with fewer officers as the service braces for further budget squeezes.