Cambridgeshire's elected mayoral contest is due to take place in May next year. Bookmaker Ladbrokes has opened a book on who might take the powerful new job. Heidi Allen, who was the first Conservative to put her name forward, has the shortest odds as things stand.

A Ladbrokes spokesman said: 'Heidi Allen is a popular local figure already so enters the race as favourite in what appears to be a three horse race with Vicky Ford and Andrew Lansley.'

3/1 Heidi Allen

The South Cambridgeshire MP made her mark early on in the House of Commons after arriving in 2015 when she took on then chancellor George Osborne on his planned tax credit cuts. She has said that she will remain as an MP if she is elected to the new post.

4/1 Vicky Ford

The former banker has been in Brussels as an East of England MEP since 2009. She has not announced that she is standing, but is tipped as a possible contender locally. With Britain set to have left the European Union by the next European Parliament elections, she could well be in search of a new job.

5/1 Andrew Lansley

The former MP for South Cambridgeshire who was health secretary in the coalition government is now a peer. He took the title of Baron Lansley, of Orwell in the County of Cambridgeshire.

10/1 Peter Dawe

A local entrepreneur, Peter Dawe is standing as an independent. He was one of the first out of the blocks in stating his desire to be an elected mayor. He recently sold Cambridge TV claiming it would prevent a conflict of interest.

16/1 Julian Huppert

A casualty of the last election, Julian Huppert was the Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge until his party was annihilated in 2015.

He is still active in politics and believed to be keen to return to the political frontline.

100/1 Nigel Farage

The former leader of the UK Independence Party is now out of a job. But with his sights firmly across the Atlantic after his public support of US president-elect Donald Trump, it would be a surprise if he went for such a local role.