Frances Evelyn Hoare, daughter of the late Lord Hailsham, succeeded Colin Murray as high sheriff of Hampshire on Wednesday.

A magistrate in North West Hampshire since 1986, she is particularly involved with the work of the Youth Panel.

Mrs Hoare (53), has considerable experience in education.

Educated herself at St Paul's Girls School in London and Homerton College, Cambridge, she taught history and English at a London comprehensive and then was head of the remedial department at Elstree School, near Reading.

More recently, she has taught children excluded from mainstream schools.

The new high sheriff is married to Richard Hoare, a deputy lieutenant of Hampshire. They have three children, Alexander, Charles and Elizabeth.

Mrs Hoare's outside interests include scuba diving, tennis, gardening and the breeding of alpacas.