Humberside Police Officers Ride In Memory Of Fallen Colleagues

Officers from Humberside Police will begin a 180-mile cycle challenge today in memory of collegaues who've died in the line of duty.

Among those being remembered as part of the UK Police Unity Tour will be PC Russ Wylie.

The 28-year-old died earlier this year after being involved in a traffic accident while on patrol near Burstwick in East Yorkshire.

Friend and colleague - PC Darren Kirkwood - is among those taking part in the event and says Russ's death has had a huge impact. He told Viking FM:

"It's a massive loss to anybody even if you didn't know Russ, the police community is a big close family. It's something that was quite recent and obviously this weekend will bring it all back to us all again really.

"It's one of those things where we have to try and move on but it's always going to be in the back of your mind that something like that could happen to us one day. Russ was such a young person and to lose his life in such a tragic way is heartbreaking.

"Words cannot describe what it is like to take part in this challenge, it is an honour."

Claire Stocker is from the force and is also taking part in the event and riding in Russ' memory. She told us:

“I cried when I found out I would be cycling in memory of Russ.

"I never met him as a person, but, as a dispatcher, I sent him to lots of jobs and spoke to him all the time, which has made this challenge all the more real.

"He was such a young officer, he was due to get married to Roxanne later this year so he had absolutely everything to live for, bless him. The wider community, staff, wherever you are in the county - everybody has been affected by it. It's never in the back of your mind that today's going to be your last day and nobody sets out with that in mind so we are all thankful that we are here but we also need to remember to support those that are left behind."

Also taking part is retired police officer Karen Ford, who knows more than most how valuable the Cops charity is.

Her husband Steve, also a police officer, was killed in a crash near Tickton in January 1998. She said:

"It was the end of my world at the time. You think that life will never carry on, but it does. Even though it was 17 years ago it is still very emotional, your world just falls apart. I had two little daughters and you just think your life is never going to be normal again. You get up, he goes off to work and you never expect that they're not going to come back through the door.

“It is nice to give something back to the charity because I have been through and experienced what these families are going through and know how valuable the charity is."

The UK Police Unity Tour will see around 500 officers from across the country biking from the National Police Memorial in London to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire over the next 2 days.

It's to also raise money for the families of those who've died.

Anyone wishing to make a donation, can do so by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/Duncan-Collins4/