Cup to be annual tribute to Simon

FAMILY, friends and former colleagues gathered at a charity football match in honour of former Chief Constable Simon Cole, pictured.

Organised by West Midlands Police, the game – for the inaugural Simon Cole QPM Memorial Cup – took place at the Tally Ho sport ground in Edgbaston.

Mr Cole was found dead at his home in Kibworth Harcourt in March, just 12 days after retiring from the force, aged 55.

The game saw a team from West Midlands Police, where Mr Cole began his career, play a team from Leicestershire, where he spent 12 years as the Chief Constable.

Det Con Dan Hitchmough, a member of the Guardian Task Force tackling knife crime and playercoach of the West Midlands Police team, helped organise the game. He said: “I didn’t have the opportunity to actually meet Simon as he’d moved on from West Midlands Police by the time I joined.

“I know he was a big rugby and Leicester Tigers fan and I’d often see him pictured on the website presenting some trophy.

“When I heard he’d died I was shocked and extremely saddened.

“I knew he was a very popular figure but didn’t realise how much until I started organising the football match, alongside Pc Jay Thomas of Leicestershire Police.

“Everyone has been coming up to me telling me what a great bloke he was, or what a great boss and colleague he was.”

West Midlands Police Brass Band performed at the match and the force also provided the honour guard before kick-off.

More than 100 people attended the game, including Mr Cole’s wife and children – including son, Ben, who joined in the match, which Leicestershire won 6-0.

Money raised during the day were done in honour of the Care Of Police Survivors (Cops) charity, which supports the families of officers and staff who have lost their lives on duty.

Sergeant Ben Westwood, head of West Midlands Police Honour Guard, said: “It was truly fitting for us to be able to honour Chief Constable Cole’s service and pay our respects to his family, who were in attendance.

“One of our aims as the Honour Guard is to show family and colleagues what impact their loved ones had on our force and that they will forever be a part of our police family.”

The Simon Cole QPM Memorial Cup will become an annual event with next year’s game in Leicester.

LEICESTERSHIRE WILL PLAY WEST MIDLANDS AT FOOTBALL ANNUALLY IN MEMORY OF THE LATE CHIEF CONSTABLE