A FORMER Olympic athlete from Ayrshire has entered the running in the race to become the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

Brian Whittle, from Troon, announced on Monday that he intends to be a candidate in the contest to succeed Douglas Ross.

Mr Whittle, who represents the South Scotland region, comes after West Scotland MSP Russell Findlay threw his hat into the ring.

Mr Whittle, 60, started his athletic career with Ayr Seaforth, and went on to win the gold medal in the 4x400 metres relay at both the 1986 European Athletics Championships and 1994 European Athletics Championships.

The former Marr College pupil, who has been a regional MSP for the South of Scotland since 2016, also competed for Great Britain at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, and helped the Scottish 4x400 relay team o silver at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

Announcing his intentions, Mr Whittle said the party had "never been a serious contender" to take over in Scotland in the 25 years of the Scottish Parliament.

"We can do better than that," he added.

"As a party we must be more pro-active. It is not enough to respond to events. We must shape them."

His candidacy, he said, has three "core principles" - education, enterprise and empowering people.

The party, he added, must also be willing to "tell hard truths", adding: "A party that tries to be all things to all people will most likely end up being nothing to anyone."

Mr Whittle continued: "I'm not going to offer platitudes or quick fixes, because that's not what we need.

"The Scottish Conservatives can be an effective, pragmatic, and successful centre-right government in Scotland.

"The path to get there will not be quick or easy, but then again, few things worth doing are easy."

The previous leader of the Scottish Tories, Douglas Ross, announced in the middle of the General Election campaign that he would quit his role after polling day.

It followed a backlash over his selection as the party's candidate in the Westminster seat of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East for the July 4 election.

Mr Ross, who had represented the Moray seat for seven years, announced his candidacy the day after party colleague David Duguid was told he had not been chosen, despite being selected by his local constituency association.

The Aberdeenshire North and Moray East contest was won by SNP candidate Seamus Logan.