RECOGNISE THE BRAVE HEROES INJURED IN LINE OF DUTY

On the 42nd anniversary of the IRA Harrods bombing in which she was hurt, former PC Pam White says it's finally time to...

- RICHARD ASHMORE

FORMER PC Pam White, hit by the IRA Harrods bomb that killed three colleagues 42 years ago today, wants ministers to at last honour injured 999 heroes.

Three civilians also died as the blast ripped through crowds of Christmas shoppers outside the London department store, wounding 90, as police tried to evacuate the area following a warning minutes before.

Pam, then 24, was among the first responders and was just yards away when the car bomb exploded.

She was thrown clear but the effects forced her to give up her dream career six years later.

However, like all injured police officers, she has never received any recognition for her bravery that day.

Pam, now 67, is backing calls for an Injury in Service Award. The idea has growing cross-party support, backed by the Express crusade Honour Our Injured 999 Heroes.

She said: "It is finally time to recognise the nation's brave police heroes injured in the line of duty.

"It's 42 years since my incident, time is running out for a lot of us.

People just think you are going to move on and you'll be fine but every time this date comes up it brings it all back to us.

"I was reading about the terrible situation in Bondi Beach, where it said that everybody runs away from these things but the emergency services, like the police and paramedics, rush in. That's what we do. We don't think of our safety at the time...it's our first instinct to help." An MPs' motion backing an award has been passed but the government has yet to give a timetable for action.

The Express is urging readers to write to their MP and help end the wait for recognition.

On December 17, 1983, Met constable Pam raced to the bomb alert with her colleague and friend Jane Arbuthnot. Jane, 23, and Sgt Noel Lane, 28, were killed instantly in the devastating blast. Insp Stephen Dodd, 34, suffered head injuries and died on Christmas Eve.