A FUNERAL service for a much-loved North Yorkshire Police officer will be held at York Minster this week.

PC Suzanne Asquith, who was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List last year for services to policing and youth engagement, died in December.

Following her death, PC Asquith’s husband Michael set up a justgiving page “In loving memory of Suzanne, my beautiful girl”, requesting donations to Cancer Research UK instead of flowers “because we need to beat this terrible disease”.

Originally, the target for the justgiving page was £250, but as of Tuesday morning almost £5,000 had been donated by her friends, family and former colleagues.

A funeral service for PC Asquith will be held at York Minster at 10am on Friday, January 13, with scores of officers, family and friends expected. A book of condolence has also been created in memory of PC Asquith. The book will be located at the Minster for well-wishers to leave a message for her family.

The Minster service will be followed by a smaller, private service for close friends and family.

PC Asquith was a response officer for almost 12 years before she had to move away from frontline service due to illness, but wanted to continue to support the force while recovering.

In 2013, PC Asquith redeveloped the way North Yorkshire Police engage with young people in the area, and launched the Lifestyle Challenge and Rock Challenge, both of which see hundreds of young people take part in projects to improve their communities during school holidays, in a move to help young people outside of education.

Speaking after her death, Deputy Chief Constable Tim Madgwick said any police force in the UK would have been “proud to have had as part of their team”.

He said: “She could inspire, make things happen and was such a positive personality.” To donate go to justgiving.com/fundraising/Michael-Asquith1