A NEW chief fire officer for Gloucestershire has been appointed.

Stewart Edgar, who has come from the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, will join the service on Monday, February 24.

His career with the fire and rescue service began in 1991, when he joined Tayside Fire Brigade as a retained firefighter.

After successfully becoming a full-time firefighter in 1993, he was promoted to Area Manager in 2007 before moving to Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service as Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

He was quickly appointed as the Interim Leader of the Service, becoming their last Chief Fire Officer before the service was amalgamated into the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

He was awarded The Queen's Fire Service Medal in the 2013 birthday honours list, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the fire service and local communities.

“I am extremely honoured and privileged to become the new Chief Fire Officer of Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service and as the Operations Director of the County Council," he said.

“Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has a reputation of being a high performing fire and rescue service. It is my intention to ensure that the communities of Gloucestershire continue to receive the highest standards of community safety and emergency response services and at the same time being efficient and delivering value for money.”

Mr Edgar replaces Jon Hall who retired from the service last month after more than 30 years.