A former counter terrorism expert, standing as an independent candidate for Police and Crime Commissioner of Wiltshire, has vowed to recruit about 300 more officers, if elected.

Colin Skelton, of Salisbury, is a career civil servant, who has specialised in counter terrorist operations training.

He joins the Conservative candidate, Angus Macpherson, and Labour’s Clare Moody in putting their names forward for the November 15 election.

He said: “Wiltshire is dangerously short of police officers and has the lowest ratio of police to population anywhere in the country. This needs to be addressed.”