Ambitious Conservative district councillor Heidi Allen has been selected to fight a safe Tory seat in the next General Election.

Cllr Allen, who represents Marshalswick South on St Albans council, beat off competition from an all-woman shortlist to be selected to fight South Cambs constituency for the Conservatives.

She will succeed former Health Secretary Andrew Lansley as candidate for South Cambs at next year’s General Election after narrowly missing the nomination for the vacancy in the neighbouring South East Cambs constituency earlier this year.

Science graduate Mrs Allen has a business background and has represented Marshalswick South for over two years, taking the seat from the Lib Dem sitting councillor Melvyn Teare.

When news of her bid for the nomination in South East Cambs came to light, he commented that it was a “well thought-out game plan which has been two years in the making and I believe electors in Marshalwick South should have been informed.”

But Cllr Allen, who has a degree in astrophysics and once ran The Farmer’s Boy pub in St Albans, insisted residents were informed of her parliamentary ambitions.

She is the second councillor for Marshalswick South to pursue a parliamentary career - only 40 days after being elected to the district council Seema Kennedy was chosen as Tory candidate for South Ribble in Lancashire.