POLICE chief Peter Fahy is joint seventh favourite to replace Sir Paul Stephenson as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police — despite ruling himself out of the job.

Mr Fahy is said to be held in high regard because of his role as Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, leading to speculation about him moving to head the London force.

Bookmaker William Hill is offering odds of 12/1 on Mr Fahy getting the top UK police job. Sir Hugh Orde, the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, is favourite at 6/4, while Thames Valley chief constable Sara Thornton is second at 5/2.

Mr Fahy wrote on his blog last month he would not be going for the Met commissioner’s job.

Yesterday he said: “I already lead what I regard as the best police force in the country.”