Service of remembrance today for Constable Philippa Reynolds

A SERVICE of remembrance and thanksgiving is being held on Sunday, June 2 for a PSNI woman killed by a stolen car.

The service for Constable Philippa Reynolds will take place in First Derry Presbyterian Church.

The PSNI say the service is open to everyone in the community.

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 in February.

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

Constable Reynold’s funeral later took place at Mossley Methodist Church in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.

Hundreds of mourners atteneded, including Chief Constable Matt Baggott and a number of his senior officers.

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.

Heartbroken parents of Philippa Reynolds, Dorothy and Mervyn

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

“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/Londonderry charged over Ms Reynolds’ death.