A FORMER soldier who served in the Middle East has been selected as the Conservative candidate for Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner.

Mum-of-two Hannah Jarvis, from Abergavenny, has been picked as the party's candidate in the election, to be held on Thursday, May 7.

Ms Jarvis, who previously served in Iraq and currently works as a political case worker in Usk.

She said, if elected, reducing crime across the whole of Gwent would be her top priority.

“Our streets need to be safer, particularly for more vulnerable groups in our communities, like children and the elderly,” she said.

“We also need to make sure we pay attention to the victims of crime – their needs and their feelings need to count.”

Ms Jarvis, has worked for the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence and is currently a community councillor and a school governor.

Labour's Jeff Cuthbert is Gwent's current Police and Crime Commissioner.