New London Fire Brigade Commissioner is ex-army captain

Andy Roe has been appointed the new London Fire Brigade commissioner, replacing Dany Cotton who is to step down earlier than expected.

The former army captain takes on his role in the New Year, having worked for the fire service since 2002.

He worked his way through the ranks from firefighter to become assistant commissioner in January 2017 and then deputy commissioner for operations last month.

Mr Roe has also been in charge of a number of high-profile incidents, including the 2016 Croydon tram crash and the Grenfell Tower disaster, for which he was widely praised for saving lives after abandoning the command for residents to stay in the building.

"It is an enormous privilege to be offered this opportunity to lead London fire brigade into a new decade," the new commissioner said in a statement.

The news demonstrates the wide variety of jobs available to army leavers, particularly those with security clearance.