Manchester police shootings: Thousands pay tribute at funeral for Nicola Hughes

A CITY united yesterday in memory of a fallen “brave as they come” policewoman who made a “great sacrifice” when she was killed in the line of duty.

Thousands of members of the public stood shoulder to shoulder with police officers from across the country as the funeral cortege for Pc Nicola Hughes, 23, passed through the centre of Manchester.

They heeded the call from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for “decent people” to come out and pay their respects to the officer and her colleague Fiona Bone, 32, whose funeral will take place today.

Both officers were allegedly lured to their deaths in a gun and grenade attack by what had appeared to be a routine burglary call at a house in Hattersley, Tameside, on 18 September.

Police motorcycle outriders provided a guard of honour ahead of the cortege, led by the funeral carriage pulled by six horses from GMP’s mounted unit and bearing the coffin shrouded in black cloth.

Officers who walked behind were met with applause by the crowds who lined Deansgate, and the clapping continued until the first chime was sounded at Manchester Cathedral to mark a period of silence before the service began.

The family of Pc Hughes led mourners into the cathedral, including her mother Susan, father Bryn and younger brother Sam, while the coffin was carried by colleagues of Pc Hughes, with the officer’s hat and a floral tribute atop.

Officers from forces nationwide volunteered to cover the shifts of GMP colleagues so they could be among the 1,000 mourners inside the cathedral.

The chief constable of GMP, Sir Peter Fahy, told the congregation that Pc Hughes “set

high standards for herself” and “impressed everyone with her dedication and her cheerfulness” in her three years of service.

He said that, when first recruited, there was “never any doubt” she would meet the standards the public expected from the uniform.

“Nicola stepped forward to become a police officer knowing full well the risks involved, given that her father, Bryn, is a prison officer,” he said. “She decided not to be a bystander but to join the fray.”

Sir Peter added that Pc Hughes had shown that policing is “not about muscle but is about reason, restraint and intelligence”.

“She had a promising career ahead of her, but was driven not by personal ambition but by service to the public in need,” he said.

“It is abhorrent that she met her death through an evil, dark act, but the best tribute we can make to her memory is that we continue to uphold the standards and the style of policing she demonstrated so well and ensure that might does not conquer over justice.

“She will be greatly missed by everyone that knew her. We will never forget her great sacrifice.”

Her colleagues on C relief at Tameside division “greatly respected and loved her”, mourners were told.

Speaking on their behalf, Sergeant Stephen Miskell said she would be remembered as being “friendly, full of life, always willing to give a helping hand, as keen as mustard, as brave as they come and, last but not least, the chatterbox who always left everybody else awake”.

He said: “A lot of people ask me how someone so young as Nicola managed to get recruited into the police service.

“It is rare for someone aged only 20 to pass the recruitment process, but Nicola was very rare.”