The father of PC Fiona Bone spoke publicly for the first time yesterday at the opening of a memorial garden and ‘a wonderful lasting tribute’ to his daughter.
Mr Bone and his wife June live in Port St Mary.
Fiona had been a sixth-former at Castle Rushen High School.
Paul Bone spoke during a service to officially open the garden which is at the front of Hyde Police Station in Greater Manchester where PC Bone, aged 32, and PC Nicola Hughes, aged 23, worked.
A statement was also read out on behalf of the family of PC Hughes who died alongside PC Bone in a gun and grenade attack in nearby Hattersley on September 18.
Mr Bone thanked police for their support following the tragedy which he described as ‘the club that nobody wants to join’.
He added: ‘We as a family are tremendously grateful for the support we have had from the community.
‘Fiona and Nicola died doing their jobs, serving their local community and it’s fitting and proper that we dedicate to them a part of the place where they spent much of their time doing that work.
‘I hope this garden serves as a reminder to the people of Manchester of the work done and the sacrifices made by the police on their behalf.’
Mr Bone said the promise to ‘look after each other and protect each other’ would ensure the police officers had not died in vain.
PC Bone’s father spoke before the many colleagues and members of the public who had gathered to pay their respects.
Prayers were said, a minutes silence was observed and white doves were also released.
Greater Manchester’s Chief Constable Peter Fahy who opened the garden said: ‘I think it’s really fitting that the garden has been created outside the walls of the police station so ordinary members of the public can come here and use it as a place of remembrance and reflection.
‘We cannot imagine what Fiona and Nicola’s family are going through particularly at this time of year.
‘All we can do is stand with them and share in their grief and say through this memorial we will never forget.’