Tributes have been paid at the funeral of a “loyal, honest and intelligent” police officer who died in a road accident, aged 29.
Police officers formed a guard of honour as the coffin carrying PC Scott Eastwood-Smith was carried into Bradford Cathedral this afternoon, draped with a blue flag and adorned with flowers.
PC Smith, 29, who served with the Metropolitan Police, died after a crash with a car as he rode a motorbike to work.
During the service the congregation heard friends recall amusing stories from PC Eastwood-Smith’s life, including the time he left a friend asleep on a bus, and an occasion when, dressed as Robin for a fancy dress pub crawl, he became separated from friends after following the wrong Batman from a different group.
One friend spoke of how he met PC Eastwood-Smith, a former pupil at Woodhouse Grove School, Apperley Bridge, when he was a “small and hyperactive” nine-year-old.
Together the pair went to school, university, went on holiday and attended weddings, mourners heard.
Addressing relatives of PC Eastwood-Smith, he said: “In those 20 years one thing that never wavered was his complete love for his family.
“He loved you deeply and it is clear to me you were all at the centre of his universe.
“He never wanted to see people cry, he always wanted to make people happy.”
Another friend said: “Scott was loyal, honest and intelligent, one of those people it was good to be around.
“He lifted your mood and brought fun and a wicked sense of humour wherever he went.
“Scott’s values of fun, hard work and positivity will live on in each of us.”
PC Eastwood-Smith’s senior officer said he was an “exemplary officer” who had “relished the opportunity to serve the capital”.
He said the officer was “motivated by a sense of service to the public”, was “conscientious and highly motivated, very much a team player who supported his colleagues.”
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