Police Memorial Service For PC Rathband

8 March 2012, 05:25 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Northumbria Police are holding a memorial service in honour of PC David Rathband on Monday March 19th.

It will be at St Nicholas' Cathedral in Newcastle at 2pm.

The service will be a formal police memorial to PC Rathband as a police officer and a public servant and has been organised in conjunction with David's widow Kath and their children.

It will be an opportunity for all his police colleagues to pay their respects and will be open to the public.

The force understands that David's family are planning to hold a Celebration of Life service at the same location on Saturday March 10th.

This is a family organised service and they have extended an invitation to anyone wishing to attend.

We appreciate the details have only been announced today and therefore time is short. Due to significant operational policing commitments on Saturday March 10 in Newcastle, many of David's colleagues and friends in the police service will be unable to attend on Saturday as they will be on operational duty.  

The formal memorial service on March 19th will give the police family an opportunity to pay their respects.

Northumbria Police understands that a separate family funeral service is planned for Saturday March 17th in Staffordshire.

In accordance with David's own wishes this is not a police funeral.