THEY might be used to pounding the streets chasing criminals, but police officers in Derby have laced up different shoes to raise money in memory of colleagues killed in the line of duty.
Officers and staff from across the city swapped boots for running spikes as they each jogged 250 miles.
The team of 18, who called themselves Beat the Streets, each committed to putting in the miles to raise money for PCs who died last year.
So far they have raised more than £4,000 for the Run To Remember campaign which supports the PC Nicola Hughes Memorial Fund.
PC Hughes and her colleague, PC Fiona Bone, who used to live in Castle Donington, were murdered in Manchester last year.
Their killer, Dale Cregan, 30, was on the run for the murders of father and son David and Mark Short when he killed the officers in a gun and grenade attack. He was given a whole life sentence at Preston Crown Court.
The St Mary's Wharf team was co-ordinated by Detective Constable Deborah Farmer.
She said: "We were all so determined to complete the challenge because those of us who are serving officers recognise that what happened to Nicola and Fiona could have happened to us.
"When you commit to being an officer you put yourself in dangerous situations, but all of us were shocked by what happened last year in Manchester.''
Bryn Hughes, PC Hughes' father, has completed a North Pole Marathon this month in memory of his daughter.
To support his campaign, every police force in the country was invited to enter a team and raise money in the Run to Remember event. Ms Farmer said: "It was hard work for a lot of us and sadly we lost four of our number due to injury, including Chief Superintendent Jack Atwal.''
Mr Atwal said he was forced to cancel his efforts with an ankle injury after completing about 100 miles.
"I am really pleased and proud that the rest of the team who completed the challenge,'' he added.
The challenge started on December 1 and each member of the team ran 250 miles over a 125-day period.
Ms Farmer said: "The team included support staff, PCs and sergeants as well and all of us managed to get over the finishing line.
"I think I worked out that I finished on 268 miles and one of our team even managed to pass the 400-mile mark.
"We completed the challenge by running round the iPro Stadium, which was a nice way to finish,'' she added.
To donate to the Derbyshire team, visit www.justgiving.com/account/teams/beat-the-streets.
