Former Gloucester Citizen reporter Hilary Allison has been appointed public relations manager for Gloucestershire County Council.

The 37-year-old, who currently holds a similar post with Devon County Council, will take up her new role in March.

Hilary trained as a journalist and worked on the Dursley Gazette and The Citizen before moving into PR.

She has been head of public relations at Gloucestershire Constabulary and Thames Valley police, and shortly after being appointed Gloucestershire Constabulary's first press officer was confronted with the force's biggest ever criminal investigation, the Cromwell Street murders.

She dealt with hundreds of media queries from all over the world and featured on numerous television and radio shows, being dubbed "The Angel of Cromwell Street".

Gloucestershire County Council has not had a head of communications for nearly two years.

Former Citizen colleague Hugh Worsnip said: "If anyone is going to galvanise Gloucestershire County Council's relations with the public and media then Hilary Allison is that person.

"From the moment she set foot in The Citizen newsroom she impressed us with her thoroughness and organisation.

"Her filing was meticulous, and we all agreed: this girl will go far.

"It will be an uphill task, but, with Hilary's grounding in the Gloucestershire media, one she will tackle with determination, if I know anything about her."

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