Memorial for police in rescue tragedy

Published on 06/01/2013 00:00

THE families of three police­ officers killed during an ­attempted sea rescue of a Scots tourist attended a ­memorial service yesterday to mark the 30th anniversary of the tragedy.

Lancashire Pcs Colin Morrison, Gordon Connolly and Angela Bradley drowned while trying to save Alistair Anthony, who had swum out into the Irish Sea at Blackpool to rescue his pet dog on 5 January, 1983.

Their relatives were joined by fellow Lancashire officers, led by Chief Constable Steve Finnigan, as well as other emergency service workers and scores of members of the public.

The memorial was held at Gynn Square, close to the scene where the three officers entered the water but were overcome by the strong tide, waves and freezing cold water.

Anthony, 25, who was on a trip to the resort from Glasgow, also died. A fourth officer, Pc Pat Abram, was rescued by colleagues who were able to throw a rope around his neck, before he was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on the Promenade.

Chief Superintendent Richard Debicki, of Lancashire Police, paid tribute at the service to his fallen colleagues saying they made “the ultimate sacrifice”.

He said: “I know for those on duty for all the emergency services at the time, the harrowing events of that day are all still too clear. One can only imagine how difficult it must have been for them to hear that trusted friends and colleagues had been lost during this dreadful incident.”