Sussex Chief Constable Ken Jones, who has fought a battle to stop officers defecting to London, has applied for the job of Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Mr Jones is one of three candidates vying to succeed Sir John Stevens when he retires next year.

Sir John's deputy, Sir Ian Blair, is the front runner for the £225,000-a-year job as Britain's most senior police officer and head of 30,000 officers.

But Mr Jones and Ian Johnston, head of British Transport Police, are also contenders.

The closing date was Friday and Mr Jones said: "I can confirm I have applied."

He was speaking from Washington DC, where he was at an anti-terrorist conference with the FBI.

Mr Jones said: "I have one of the best jobs there is in the service.

"I liken myself to a Premiership manager who has been asked to take over the England job."

He said he had been asked to apply, an invitation "that falls to very few chiefs", but he could not pretend he was "dragged to the altar".

Mr Jones, 52, has been Chief Constable of Sussex since 2001.

He took over after Paul Whitehouse was forced to resign in the wake of the fatal shooting of James Ashley in Hastings.

He identified the drift of officers to London as one of the fundamental issues to tackle.

Soon after taking the reins he sent an email to all staff reading "Sussex needs you" and implored officers to talk to him personally before leaving for London.

He wrote: "I and the people of Sussex need you here."

He went on to impress upon waverers the advantages of working locally.

He and other candidates will be interviewed by a panel which will make recommendations to the Home Secretary.