£10,000 raised for Melton family after police officer dies suddenly

Pc Austin Jackson, who was 38, leaves a wife, Simone, and four children.

Mrs Jackson was this week too upset to talk about the tragedy.

Her husband passed away on Thursday after being taken ill while he was out on patrol for Leicestershire Police in the St Matthews estate area of Leicester.

The £1,000 target of a Just Giving online fundraising page set up to help Pc Jackson’s family was reached in just two hours and yesterday (Wednesday) the total raised stood at £10,573.

A remarkable 648 donations have been made, many from fellow officers from forces across the UK.

One pledge of £22.46 – his collar number was 2246 – fittingly took the total past £10,000.

A fellow officer left a message on the page about the scale of the fundraising, which reads: “This is incredible. The thin blue line will always stand strong and solid together Austin. Rest easy, you’ve done your duty mate.”

A message from Tom Smart reads: “RIP Austin. A much-loved officer across the force. A great person. You will be greatly missed. Will miss seeing your smiling face around the force.”

And Sima Shah wrote, with her donation: “A lovely colleague and lovely man taken too soon from his loved one and the policing family. We will miss you dearly, forever in our hearts x.”

Pc Jackson joined Leicestershire Police in 2007 and worked in the city, covering the Spinney Hills and St Matthews areas.

Chief constable Simon Cole visited Pc Jackson’s family this week in the Leicester Road area of the town and afterwards tweeted: “They are overwhelmed by the number and nature of the messages they have received.”

His tribute to the officer reads: “Austin was always a professional and well-liked police officer who embedded himself in the St Matthews’ community.

“He will be missed by his colleagues in the force and I send my deepest condolences to his family,”

Go to www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/PC2246AustinJackson to donate to Pc Jackson’s online page.