After finishing the triathlon in Essex the previous day, it was up to Manchester to commemorate the death of Stephen Oake 16 years ago. Stephen was stabbed 8 times by a terrorist during a raid in the north of the city.

However, by the time I made it to Manchester it was half past midnight. After a shower and settling in I had just over three hours before my alarm was set to ring to get up for my next effort.

Thanks to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) for hosting and publicising my challenge. An appeal for participants saw Don MaClure, a former Merseyside Police officer, join me at short notice. Don’s son Christopher, a GMP police community support officer, died on duty in 2007. Together we completed the triathlon in honour of all fallen officers and staff, especially Stephen and Christopher.

GMP has suffered too many deaths in recent years and I was glad I could visit the force and raise awareness of what its officers face every day.

You can see Granada TV’s coverage here

It was also great to see the BBC’s coverage of my challenge tonight too. Below is the showreel courtesy of David Lumb @ the BBC:

It is important to remember the sacrifice of all officers and staff and we paid tribute to the ultimate price paid by so many on January 14. They are:

1781 – Watchman Edward Cox – Brompton Parish, Middlesex

1842 – Police Constable Thomas Everett – Metropolitan Police

1899 – Police Constable Harry West – Metropolitan Police

1900 – Detective Officer William Reid – Glasgow City Police

1936 – Sergeant William Coughlan – Lancashire County Constabulary

1939 – Police Constable Walter Nicholls – East Sussex County Constabulary

1950 – Police Constable George May – Hampshire County Constabulary

1957 – Police Constable Alan Ralph – Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police

1958 – Sergeant Charles Brown – Cheshire County Constabulary

1967 – Police Constable Erroll Griffiths – Carmarthenshire & Cardiganshire County Constabulary

1973 – Sergeant David Dorsett – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1973 – Reserve Constable Henry Sandford – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1973 – Police Constable Mervyn Wilson – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1977 – Police Constable Eric Faux – Hampshire Constabulary

1977 – Reserve Constable William Greer – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

1981 – Police Constable Maurice Farmer – Nottinghamshire Constabulary

1981 – Reserve Constable Lindsay MacDougall – Royal Ulster Constabulary, GC

2003 – Detective Constable Stephen Oake QGM – Greater Manchester Police