A recruitment competition has been launched to find Northern Ireland’s next Police Ombudsman.

Dr Michael Maguire is the current holder of the post which looks into complaints made against the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

His term will end in July 2019.

A series of advertisements will appear in local, national and international newspapers and on websites in order to attract as wide a candidate pool as possible.

The appointment will be made by Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley in the absence of government ministers in the region.

The recent passing of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill transferred the power to approve the appointment of the Police Ombudsman to the Secretary of State.

The Northern Ireland Assembly has been collapsed since January 2017 following a breakdown in relations between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on December 12.