FUNERAL DUE ON WEDNESDAY FOR POLICE CONSTABLE KILLED BY STOLEN JEEP

Funeral on Wednesday for Constable Philippa Reynolds

Funeral on Wednesday for Constable Philippa Reynolds

THE funeral will take place on Wednesday lunchtime for the ‘bubbly’ police woman tragically killed by a stolen car at the weekend.

Philippa Reynolds was killed when a stolen 4 x 4 Toyota Land Cruiser jumped a red light and hurtled into the unmarked police car in which she was a back seat passenger.

The 27-year-old was on routine patrol on the Limavady Road in Derry/Londonderry when the accident happened.

Two front seat police colleagues were injured but were not seriously hurt.

Constable Reynold’s funeral will take at Wednesday lunch time in Mossley Methodist Church in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.

Hundreds of mourners are expected to attened, including Chief Constable Matt Baggott and a number of his senior officers.

Other police are also due to attend including colleagues of Constable Reynolds who served with her in Strand Road police station.

On Tuesday, her evastated parents relived the moment they heard the news of her tragic death.

Mervyn and Dorothy Reynolds were on holiday in the US when they learned that the baby of the family, Philippa, had been killed by death drivers in a stolen 4 x 4 jeep which jumped a red light and careered into her unmarked police cars.

Mr Reynolds, a former RUC officer, recalled the moment he was told the news on Saturday morning while in a America on a trip to celebrate his wife’s 60th birthday.

“It was ten to two or thereabouts and my mobile phone rang and I looked at it and it said private number and I went ignore because I thought it was some cold caller,” he said.

“I got two calls and then Dorothy’s phone rang, it was only when Deborah’s name came up that I answered the phone.

Heartbroken parents of Philippa Reynolds, Dorothy and Mervyn

Heartbroken parents of Philippa Reynolds, Dorothy and Mervyn

“I was speaking, Dorothy was half-asleep, but in the conversation Deborah said Philippa is dead.

“I could not believe it.

“She said ‘I did not want to tell you so soon, but we did not want you finding out on Facebook when you are travelling home’.

“When the conversation ended, I went over to Dorothy and said we have one less daughter.”

Mrs Reynolds said her faith and “the love” of the people who had visited the family in the wake of Philippa’s death had kept them strong.

“I couldn’t believe it, but because of my faith I had to ring my friend and immediately get her to pray which I knew would help which is what she did,” she added.

“That has been carrying us since.

“We may appear strong today, but believe it we are not and our hearts are breaking.

“We are devastated.”

Two men appeared in court in Derry on Monday charged over Ms Reynolds’ death.

The horrific crash scene which cliamed the life of Constable Philippa Reynolds

The horrific crash scene which cliamed the life of Constable Philippa Reynolds

The dead police woman’s parents said they are very proud of the tributes paid to their daughter.

Her father Mervyn said he hoped her death would have a lasting legacy in Northern Ireland.

“I am just amazed at how much effect it has had with social media, this incident has gone viral worldwide and I just hope there will be some effect within our little country,” he added.

“I hear from her senior officers and others that people are coming in from parts of Derry that would never have walked into a police station before.

“They are handing in sympathy cards, mass cards, it is amazing.

“I just hope more people will see the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) as the community police force that it is.

“It is there to help everyone no matter what their religion or beliefs are.”

Mr Reynolds and his wife Dorothy said they had brought up Philippa to treat everyone she encountered in the same way and that she had applied this in her role as a police officer.

“I tried to guide her in what it had been like for me and to say just treat everybody the same, don’t be bringing politics, religion or anything into your job, you are there to serve everybody no matter what,” he added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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