Funeral For West Yorkshire Motorway Crash Policeman

The funeral will take place today of a West Yorkshire police officer who was hit by a lorry as he helped a woman whose car had broken down on a motorway hard shoulder.

Pc Mark Goodlad, 41, from Goole, died after the accident on the southbound carriageway of the M1 near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, on October 24.

West Yorkshire Police said an orange Scania articulated heavy goods vehicle was in collision with a marked BMW X5 police car and a grey Suzuki Swift.

The police car and the Suzuki were both stationary on the hard shoulder.

Pc Goodlad, who was a road traffic officer, was between the two vehicles, assisting the 51-year-old female Suzuki driver.

The woman suffered minor injuries in the incident.

West Yorkshire Chief Constable Sir Norman Bettison paid tribute to the officer, saying he had made the ``ultimate sacrifice'' as he went to help a vulnerable motorist in the ``dangerous environment of the motorway''.

The officer's funeral will take place at Wakefield Cathedral this afternoon and will be followed by a private cremation.