Dyfed Powys Police Federation has praised the work of Elizabeth Medal campaigner Bryn Hughes and congratulated him on the MBE he received in the New Year Honours.

Bryn, whose daughter PC Nicola Hughes was murdered in 2012 alongside fellow Greater Manchester Police PC Fiona Bone in a gun and grenade ambush, is the driving force behind the campaign for a posthumous award for officers killed on duty. 

The former prison officer said Nicola would be proud of his MBE which he received in recognition of his work supporting young people who have lost family members through violent crime. 

Dyfed Powys Police Federation chair Gareth Jones said: “Bryn has been a great inspiration and he fully deserved to be recognised for his efforts in helping young people. 

“In terms of his current campaigning, he has managed to articulate just what a posthumous award such as the Elizabeth Medal would mean to the families of officers killed while on duty and hopefully it will not be too long before the campaign achieves its aims. 

“Everyone in policing wholeheartedly backs the campaign and the amazing work that Bryn does.” 

Bryn Hughes was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours

Bryn said the MBE came as a poignant way to mark the 10th anniversary of his daughter’s murder. 

He said: “I suppose it's tinged with that bit of sadness as well because the only reason I’ve been nominated and been given the award was because of what happened to Nicola and the work I’ve done since then.

“It marks the 10-year anniversary so it’s quite a poignant way to mark it to be honest.”

Asked what Nicola would think of his award, Bryn said: “I think she would be proud. She would be very proud.”

Supporters of the Elizabeth Medal campaign believe emergency services workers deserve the same recognition as military personnel who are posthumously honoured with the Elizabeth Cross which is presented to relatives of those killed in action.

The Police Federation is calling for top level talks with ministers in a bid to secure approval for the new medal.