A former MSP is to stand as the SNP's candidate for the Dunfermline seat vacated by disgraced Bill Walker.

Party members in the town have selected Shirley-Anne Somerville to fight the by-election, to be held on Thursday October 24.

Walker, convicted of 23 domestic abuse charges last month, submitted his resignation to the Scottish Parliament last weekend.

Ms Somerville, 39, was an SNP MSP for Lothians between 2007 and 2011, and was appointed as director of communities for the Yes Scotland campaign last year.

She said she was honoured to be chosen as the party's candidate after the selection meeting in Dunfermline.

"Should I become be the new MSP for Dunfermline, I will vote to protect the people's policies - the Council Tax freeze, free personal care for older citizens, no tuition fees for young Scots, free bus travel for the over-60s, and no bridge tolls across the Forth," said Ms Somerville.

"Labour, Tory and Lib Dems all voted against the Budget which delivers these vital services that people in Dunfermline need and value - therefore, only a vote for the SNP in the by-election guarantees the people's policies.

"The weekend Panelbase poll in the Sunday Times - which showed there is all to play for in the independence referendum - also put SNP support at the same exceptionally high level of 45% as in our 2011 election landslide - and Labour at the same low level they slumped to. I plan to speak to as many people in Dunfermline as possible over the next five weeks, and the SNP will be working extremely hard to win."

Walker, 71, of Alloa in Clackmannanshire, was found guilty following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month but initially refused to resign his seat under pressure from campaigners and MSPs, many of whom signed a petition calling for him to go.

The former SNP MSP, who was ejected from the party when the allegations surfaced, denied the charges. He is due to be sentenced later this month.

Walker was elected as Holyrood's Dunfermline constituency MSP in a surprise victory for the SNP two years ago. On a night of success for the party he beat the previous Liberal Democrat winner into third place and finished 590 votes above Labour.

At the weekend, Labour announced Cara Hilton as the party's candidate for the by-election and she said the SNP "needs to publicly apologise to the people of Dunfermline" over the Walker situation.

The SNP previously said internal procedures have been changed following a review by the party's president after Walker was expelled last year.