A BURNLEY village came to a standstill today as family and colleagues gathered to remember tragic policeman Ian Terry.

Around 250 rank and file officers from Greater Manchester police were in Worsthorne to form a guard of honour for dad-of-two PC Terry, of Red Spar Road, who was shot dead on a training exercise earlier this month.

And the force’s acting chief constable Dave Whatton told them: “The fact that he died on a training exercise should not detract from the fact that he died in the line of duty making himself and his colleagues fit to protect the people of Greater Manchester.”

And scores of family and friends – including PC Terry’s wife, Joanne, and their two young children, Lauren four, and John, three – congregated in the village’s St John the Evangelist church to pay their last respects.

Among them was brother Paul Terry, who is also a police officer in Manchester. He delivered an emotional eulogy for the family as PC Terry’s parents were too grief-stricken to speak.

He said: “Ian was always my little brother but in many ways I looked up to him.

“We grew up together and shared everything. All my memories involve him in one way or another.

“He loved his wife and children, his family, his friends and his job.

“He did not ask for anything from anybody – he gave it.

“He loved making people happy and I will miss him for that most of all.”

Mr Terry said his brother was a computer enthusiast who had also taken up an interest in photography since becoming a father.

“He took so many photos of Joanne and the kids so that he could show them off to people,” he added.

The hour-long funeral took over the streets of Worsthorne as mourners, police officers from Manchester, Rochdale and Burnley, villagers and shopkeepers stood silent in respect.

Two shire horses led the funeral procession to the church, followed by pallbearers and finally the hearse carrying PC Terry’s body.

The casket had the word ‘Tez’ – police colleagues’ nickname for PC Terry – spelt out in flowers.

Acting chief constable Dave Whatton said: “What is clear to all his colleagues is how much his wife and children meant to him.

“They all commented on PC Terry’s sense of fun, his ability to encourage and his love for the job.”

He added: “The fact that he died on a training exercise should not detract from the fact that he died in the line of duty making himself and his colleagues fit to protect the people of Greater Manchester.”

PC Terry would “always be a role model”, said Mr Whatton.

The funeral was led by the Rev Lawrence Laycock who said former Barden High School pupil PC Terry had joined Greater Manchester police in 1997 after several years in IT.

He had a “hectic social life”, said Mr Laycock, and met his wife Joanne on a night out.

He added: “He was the proudest husband and father you could imagine.

“His love and devotion shone out at every opportunity.

“There are no words that can express how everyone is feeling.

“I am sure you will all agree that there’s no way he could be replaced.

“He was an amazing man and his memory will live on.”

After recounting tales of PC Terry’s sense of humour, Mr Laycock told mourners: “Ian would not have wished us to be miserable today.”

Meanwhile, dozens of other mourners, who could not fit in the crowded church, gathered outside to listen to the eulogies on loudspeakers.

One, Christine Jones, 60, of Annarly Fold, Worsthorne, said: “I knew PC Terry’s wife well and I met him a few times.

“He was a good father and a family man. They were a very close family.”

Another, Bridget Robinson, 70, of Red Lees Road, Cliviger, added: “My daughter knew him and she said he was always laughing.

“His wife was very nice and his children were beautiful. We are just here to pay our respects.”

PC Terry was taking part in a ‘hard-stop’ exercise when he died earlier this month.

Officers were training to incapacitate suspects in vehicles by blasting a CS gas cannister into the car before other officers pull alongside and shoot out the wheels.

He was in the front passenger seat of the stationary Suzuki Vitara jeep when he was shot dead by the ammunition, which in this case would have contained a white powder substitute rather than CS gas.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission immediately began an urgent inquiry into the incident, including a review of whether the type of training was suitable.

A spokesman said it was likely to take several months to be completed.