GIVE 999 HEROES MEDALS IN OUR GIRLS' MEMORY

Fathers of murdered PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes back Express campaign

- RICHARD ASHMORE

THE fathers of two police officers murdered on duty are backing a Daily Express crusade for injured 999 staff to be awarded medals.

Unarmed PCs Fiona Bone, 32, and Nicola Hughes, 23, were killed by Dale Cregan in a gun and grenade onslaught as they responded to reports of a burglary in 2012.

Their families were honoured with the new Elizabeth Emblem in December 2024, after tireless campaigning by their proud, grieving fathers Paul Bone and Bryn Hughes.

It recognises emergency workers and other public servants who died in the line of duty.

But no such reward exists for those left injured while in service and now the two dads are urging the government to launch one.

Bryn said: "I support this campaign because this award will mean officers will know they've not been forgotten.

"Nothing will take away the injuries or the psychological trauma, but this will say to officers, 'You are being thought of, you are being recognised'." Backing the Honour Our Injured 999 Heroes campaign for an Injured In Service Medal, Bryn added: "Nicola clung to life until she arrived at hospital. She was paralysed by the first shot that hit her, so if she had survived she would have been paralysed.

"What recognition would she have got? Nothing official." Bryn worked in the prison service for more than 25 years before having to leave in the wake of his daughter's killing.