Search on for new Police Ombudsman in North

The British Government has begun seeking a candidate to take over from Nuala O'Loan as Police Ombudsman in the North.

Adverts for the post, which carries an annual salary of around £100,000, (€145,000) are being run today in the local and national press.

Ms O'Loan is due to stand down from the position in November after a seven-year term in which she oversaw a string of controversial investigations.

Repeated opinion polls show she has a high level of public support and Northern Secretary Peter Hain has paid tribute to her work.

However, unionists have persistently criticised her investigations and are demanding that she be replaced with a retired judge or someone else from within the judicial system.