Clutha Charity Match Raises Funds

More than £8,000 has been raised by police officers and firefighters who played in a charity ice hockey match to mark the first anniversary of the Clutha helicopter tragedy which claimed 10 lives.

The event was held to remember those who died when a police helicopter crashed on to the roof of the Glasgow pub on November 29 2013 and to recognise the efforts of everyone in the emergency services who was involved.

The officers, who are part of the Scottish Police Ice Hockey Section, faced the UK Fire-fighter Ice Hockey Team in a match at Braehead Arena near Glasgow a year to the day from the crash.

Money raised from ticket sales and a prize raffle will be donated to the Scottish Police Benevolent Fund and The Firefighter's Charity.

Constable Adam Wilkie said: "We are delighted with the amount we've raised, which will go to these very deserving charities. We've had a great time organising the match and the support we've received from Braehead Clan and intu Braehead has been superb. It is thanks to them we've been able to hold this commemorative event.

"By all accounts everyone who came along to watch the match had a great time.

"We're hoping to make this an annual event to try to raise even more money for charity, and who knows, in the next match we might be able to beat the fire-fighters.''

Pilot David Traill, who was attached to the Police Scotland air support unit, and police constables Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis were killed when the Eurocopter EC 135 crashed on to the Clutha bar which was hosting a live band and was packed with customers on the Friday evening.

Those killed in the pub were John McGarrigle, Mark O'Prey, Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins, and Samuel McGhee. Joe Cusker was pulled from the wreckage alive but later died in hospital.

Accident investigators say they will issue a draft report on their findings this year, with their final conclusions expected in the middle of the year.