A poignant memorial to murdered police constables Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes will be unveiled today.
The much-loved Greater Manchester Police officers were killed in a gun and grenade attack by wanted fugitive Dale Cregan after they responded to a bogus 999 call he made in Mottram, Tameside, in 2012.
The Police Memorial Trust’s 39th national memorial stone was set to be unveiled in their memories on Thursday afternoon, July 14, at a ceremony in Mottram.
The trust was formed in 1984 by the late film producer Michael Winner and his widow Geraldine is due to attend.
Mrs Winner agreed to take on chairmanship of the trust after his death and said: “I am proud to continue in the very worthwhile work Michael started. It is a sad reality that there will always be the need for such memorials to our courageous police men and women.
“The trust will never let their sacrifice be forgotten.”
Fiona, 32, from Sale, and Nicola, 23, from Saddleworth, Oldham, were the 46th and 47th officers killed in the line of duty to be honoured by the charity since its inception. Family members and civic dignitaries were expected to be attending Thursday’s ceremony, alongside senior officers including the Chief Constable of GMP Ian Hopkins.
The private event was starting at 3.30pm when the Greater Manchester Police Band will play, followed by speeches and the memorial stone’s unveiling.
Chief Constable Hopkins said: “None of us will forget the morning when PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes were brutally murdered doing the job they both loved so passionately. For their families and those who knew and loved them, their loss still feels as great today as it did then.
“I would like to thank the Police Memorial Trust for honouring Fiona and Nicola with this memorial. I know that these two brave officers will never be forgotten, but this memorial will act as a permanent reminder of the enormous sacrifice they made.
“I hope it will be a place where people can pay their respects, but also remember the love, happiness and care they gave to those fortunate enough to have been touched by their all too short lives.”
Evil Cregan - who was being hunted at the time for the murders of father and son David and Mark Short - made a false report of criminal damage which lured the officers to the house where he was lying in wait.
He gunned down both officers before they reached the front door of the house on Abbey Gardens before he hurled a grenade at their bodies.
Cregan later drove to hand himself in at Hyde police station and is now serving a whole life sentence for their murders, and the murders of David and Mark Short.
Today’s unveiling will mark the fifth Police Memorial Trust memorial stone to be placed in Greater Manchester.
