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Widow of shot Pc weeps as memorial tribute unveiled
THE widow of murdered West Yorkshire police officer Ian Broadhurst wept yesterday as she paid tribute to her husband at the unveiling of a memorial in his honour.
Pc Broadhurst was shot dead at point blank range by former US marine David Bieber in Leeds on Boxing Day 2003, while on duty as a traffic officer.
His widow Eilisa Broadhurst was joined by family, friends and colleagues yesterday to unveil a memorial stone at Dib Lane, Leeds, where he was killed almost five years ago.
The ceremony was led by film director Michael Winner, chairman of the Police Memorial Trust, which campaigns for memorials to be created to all police officers killed in the line of duty.
Mrs Broadhurst said: "I know Ian will be looking down on us with great delight. Ian's death has affected so many of us in different ways, especially the nature of it.
"As you all know the police force was a big part of who Ian was. It was one of the great loves of his life and it allowed him to do what he liked best: fast cars, helping people and getting paid for it.
"The love and support I have received over the past four-and-a-half years has been overwhelming. Not only from the police force but from everyone, even those who did not know Ian personally."
She said their short time together was "special" and thanked everyone for "keeping his memory alive in such a positive way".
Mr Winner also paid tribute to the courage of Pc Broadhurst and police officers across the country for "fighting a war" for the British public.
He said: "We cannot mend the wounds of Ian's family. All we can do is put here a permanent memorial so that he will forever be remembered."
He told the congregation how the 34-year-old police officer wanted to start a family with his wife, who now lives in Lanarkshire, Scotland.
"He didn't have a future and that is why we are here to pay him tribute," said Mr Winner.
"There are thousands of other police officers no less heroic because they live on and what we are here to say to them and to Ian Broadhurst are really only two words, but they come from the heart, thank you."
Mr Winner also revealed that a memorial to murdered Pc Sharon Beshenivsky will be unveiled in Bradford in May next year. Pc Beshenivsky was gunned down during an attempted robbery in 2005.
Flowers and tributes were laid by the memorial including messages from both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Tory leader David Cameron.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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