MURDERED PC Keith Palmer has been hailed at his funeral as a hero whose “blue lamp will shine bright forever”.
The 48-year-old father and husband was stabbed to death as he carried out his duties on the cobbled forecourt of the Palace of Westminster.
Around 50 members of his family, including his wife, child, mother and father, brother and sisters attended his funeral service at Southwark Cathedral, central London, along with Home Secretary Amber Rudd, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the manager and captain of his beloved Charlton Athletic football team Karl Robinson.
As many as 5,000 officers from the Metropolitan Police and other forces, including a delegation from the New York Police Department, joined the service or lined the cortege route.
Thousands more officers and staff at police stations across the country marked two minutes’ silence at 2pm.
In a eulogy reaching nearly 1,500 words, his friend and colleague Chief Inspector Neil Sawyer said: “During Keith’s policing service he met and worked alongside many officers and left a positive impression on all. And we will all miss him greatly. I know this because over the last couple of weeks so many of these colleagues and friends have told me as much.
“I will close with these thoughts from myself, Keith’s colleagues and friends – his spirit will never leave us and he will remain an inspiration to us all. Keith’s blue lamp will shine bright forever. And on behalf of us all we say thank you – Keith made a difference and we will not forget.”
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