Mourners brave the rain to say goodbye to popular Wigan police community support officer

Golborne was brought to a standstill on Wednesday morning as friends, relatives, colleagues and members of the community turned out for the funeral of police community support officer Dave Ratcliffe.

The much-loved officer, who was part of Greater Manchester Police's Golborne and Lowton neighbourhood team, died on Sunday, June 21.

A funeral procession began at his home on Slag Lane in Lowton with a full police escort and passed places of personal and professional significance to PCSO Ratcliffe.

As it reached Church Street in Golborne, his immediate work colleagues joined the procession, walking behind the hearse as it approached St Thomas' Church.

There, scores of people had gathered in the rain to pay tribute to PCSO Ratcliffe as he made his final journey.

Members of the neighbourhood policing teams in Leigh formed a guard of honour outside the church as the coffin was carried into the grounds.

A graveside service was held for members of his family only, due to the restrictions imposed for the coronavirus pandemic.

Hundreds of tributes have been paid to PCSO Ratcliffe, who was well respected among his colleagues and the community he served.

A statement from the police's Leigh, Atherton and Hindley team announcing he had died said: "Dave was an invaluable member of the Golborne and Lowton neighbourhood team and had been a fixture in Golborne for so many years, he will be missed an immeasurable amount.

"Our thoughts are with Dave's family at this saddest of times, and we send them our love."

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