Conservatives in Southampton Itchen have finally selected a candidate to fight the general election, likely to be on May 5.

Members of the Itchen Conservative Association have chosen Flick Drummond to battle for the seat against the sitting Labour MP John Denham and Liberal Democrat David Goodall.

Mrs Drummond, a mother of four from Winchester, is a

former life insurance broker and Ofsted school inspector.

The 42-year-old said: "I am thrilled to have been chosen to fight Southampton Itchen for the Conservatives at the coming general election and am looking forward to the challenge.

"The people of Southampton are rightly worried about the many problems facing our city and our country and I look forward to meeting as many of them as possible between now and polling day to hear what they have to say."

Itchen Conservatives had originally wanted the deputy leader of Southampton City Council's Conservative group, Councillor Royston Smith, 39, to fight the seat.

But he was ruled out of the contest by Tory bosses in London when he was not selected to be on the Conservative list of approved candidates.

Cllr Smith welcomed Mrs Drummond's selection. He said: "I wish her good luck in her campaign against John Denham and I will do everything I can to assist Flick in the forthcoming election.

"Southampton's citizens have been let down by Labour. Flick Drummond offers those people a credible Conservative alternative."