NORTH Yorkshire police are to get their first female chief constable with the appointment of Della Cannings, currently acting deputy chief constable with the Cleveland force.

Ms Cannings, 49, whose appointment was announced on Monday, succeeds David Kenworthy, who is to retire.

Born in Devon, she graduated from Bath University with a mathematical studies degree in 1975 and, that same year, joined Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, where she rose from constable to chief superintendent.

Her duties included commanding policing of the total eclipse of 1999, when the west country was on the line of totality. In 1982, she was awarded the Harkness Fellowship and travelled to the USA to study the police response to domestic violence, a subject in which she still has special interest.

She received an Ernst and Young award and a chief constable's commendation for her Policing Europe Towards 1992 project, for which she received a Home Office police research award.

She was senior police adviser to the Home Office from 1993-95.

Ms Cannings is also a director of the Association of Chief Police officers and an ACPO portfolio holder on organisational health, safety and welfare, which involves working with the Home Office on plans for a healthier police service.

In January 2000, she was appointed assistant chief constable (management services) with Cleveland police, a role that involved dealing with disciplinary aspects of the well-publicised Operation Lancet.

At a press conference in Northallerton on Wednesday, Ms Cannings described her time at Cleveland as "very professionally challenging."

She added: "There are uncharted waters I have gone through and experiences I have gone through that will give me the basis to be even more professional as a chief constable."

In May 2001, she became Cleveland's assistant chief constable designate and, due to a change in the law, became acting deputy chief constable in January this year.

Her current portfolio covers strategic development, performance management, finance and commissioning, legal services, personnel and deputising for the chief constable.

She sees herself as something of a role model for other women striving for success in what is often seen as a man's world.

"I have found from my experience that the chances are there and, if they choose to take them, women can climb the ladder, and it's perhaps no longer a greasy pole," she told the press conference.

"I have always recognised since I became a sergeant in 1979 that I am a role model to others within the organisation. I know from my work in Cleveland that it is important to show to other women officers that they can get to the top."

Ms Canning is a keen walker, favouring the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales, accompanied by her husband and springer spaniel Scrumpy. She also enjoys gardening, bird watching, photography and swimming and is a Rotarian.

She said: "I am naturally very pleased that I have been appointed to lead this force. North Yorkshire police has a fine reputation and David Kenworthy must take a lot of credit for that.

"I now look forward enormously to guiding this force through the many challenges that face the police service over the next few years."

Fifteen applications for the post were received by the police authority, whose chairman Jane Kenyon said: "We are delighted to have attracted Ms Cannings to the North Yorkshire force. We had an exceptionally strong field of candidates to choose from, which is testament to the force's reputation nationally.

"We expect the force to go from strength to strength under the new chief's leadership and the authority will be working closely with her to help to achieve that goal.