Murdered policewomen remembered on new digital memorial

NAMES OF PCs NICOLA AND FIONA APPEAR ALONGSIDE 4,200 OTHER OFFICERS AND STAFF WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES WHILE SERVING PUBLIC

THE names of murdered Greater Manchester PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone will be commemorated on a new digital police memorial.

Nicola, 23, from Saddleworth and Fiona, 32, from Sale, died at the hands of killer Dale Cregan in a gun and grenade ambush after they were lured to a house in Mottram in Longdendale, Tameside, on September 18, 2012.

Their names have now been published on a new digital memorial alongside more than 4,200 other police officers and staff who have died on duty since the introduction of the Bow Street Runners in 1749.

It was launched by the Police Arboretum Memorial Trust in partnership with Twitter UK as part of plans to honour the sacrifice of those from our police service who have lost their lives.

It comes ahead of the opening of a new UK Police Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, due to be completed in 2021.

Speaking at the launch, Nicola’s

Pc Fiona Bone, left, and colleague PC Nicolas Hughes father, Bryn Hughes, said: “We cannot change what has happened, all we can do is remember the sacrifice that these officers, including my daughter Nicola, have made and honour their memory by supporting this memorial.

“As a proud parent watching your child swear the oath of allegiance, you never expect to read your child’s name on a memorial dedicated to police officers killed on duty.

“I myself do not need a memorial to remember Nicola, she lives on in my heart and in my memory forever.

“But it is important that members of the public have memorials such as this to allow them to reflect, remember and honour those we have lost.”

Fiona’s father Paul Bone also spoke at the event.

He added: “I am looking forward to the day when my family and I can go to the Arboretum and stand before the memorial and pay tribute not only to Fiona but all those officers that went before and sadly all those who have died since.”

Each day, the names and photographs of those who lost their lives on that particular day will be published along with a short citation. Enhanced tributes that tell the personal stories of those behind the badge have also been produced and can be searched by name, force and rank. Sir Hugh Orde, chair of trustees, said: “Our aim was to demonstrate to the public that when a police officer dies they are not just someone in uniform, but that they are a husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter.”

You can view the new Police Digital Memorial by visiting www. digital.ukpolicememorial.org and follow the online tributes through Twitter @ukpmemorial and comment using the hashtag #couragandsacrifice.

Nicola’s father, Bryn Hughes