2:51pm Friday 20th November 2009
PC BILL Barker was a father of four, who was a policeman 'through and through'.
He lived in a large four-bedroomed semi-detached pebble dashed house, with a tall hedge around one side in Egremont, Cumbria.
Heartbroken wife Hazel, aged 44, was too upset to speak about the tragedy and was in tears at her family home.
A relative said a statement would be released through Cumbria police in due course.
Neighbour Nicola Patterson, 24, unemployed, said: "Bill was a nice fella.
"I'd see him walking the dog and picking up his kids from school every day.
"We've been neighbours for 18 years.
"I would see him on his police motorcycle all the time, in his uniform.
"He was a policeman through and through, 100 per cent. He gave everything for his job.
"He was a real family man too. He had four kids, Simon, who is about 16, Melissa, she's about 15, Daniel, about 13, and his youngest Emma, about six.
"I always talked to his wife Hazel when I see her.
"She's got a cast on at the minute because she's hurt her arm.
"One of the neighbours told me this morning the policeman swept away was Bill.
"I was gutted. When people die that you don't know, it's sad, but you don't think much about it, but when they are your next-door neighbours, it's really upsetting.
"I used to see him cutting the grass in the summer.
"It really is awful.
"What he was doing last night on the bridge was very brave. It's very tragic."
Nicola's mum, aged 45, who did not want to be named said: "I've known Hazel since we were at school, since we were 12.
"She's devastated.
"My heart goes out to them all, it's awful, he was always a policeman as far as I knew. He had 25 years service.
"Hazel is from Whitehaven originally."
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