THE region's first woman chief constable has been appointed.

Della Cannings, currently Acting Deputy Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, is to head North Yorkshire Police.

The 49-year-old leaves the hot seat as head of discipline with the beleaguered Cleveland force to take up her new appointment later this year.

She came to Cleveland Police in the thick of the controversy raging over the long running, multi-million pound Operation Lancet inquiry into allegations of police misconduct - an investigation which resulted in not a single officer being charged with any criminal offence.

As head of professional standards she had the job of setting up a string of continuing internal disciplinary hearings in the wake of Lancet.

She was in post when high profile cop Ray Mallon, former head of Middlesbrough CID and now the town's mayor, was "required to resign" after admitting 14 internal charges.

She said of Cleveland Chief Constable Barry Shaw yesterday: "He is a consummate professional who has shown enormous tenacity and restraint throughout the unfounded attacks made against Cleveland Police and continued steadfastly in his quest to provide the highest quality policing locally.''

More recently, she has been overseeing the internal inquiry into the arrest of two Cleveland Police officers allegedly caught on camera urinating near the Lithuanian presidential palace.

Ms Cannings will take over the reins of North Yorkshire Police from David Kenworthy, who is retiring.

North Yorkshire Police Authority chairwoman Jane Kenyon said: "We are delighted to have attracted Ms Cannings to the North Yorkshire Force."

Mr Shaw said: "Her professionalism and hard work over the past two-and-a-half years has been outstanding. Her input in helping to improve policing for all the communities in Cleveland has proved invaluable."