Fund grows after death of Surrey officer Heather Cooper
A fund set up to help the children of a Surrey police officer who was found dead in Sussex has raised nearly three times more cash than expected.
The body of Det Con Heather Cooper, 33, was found a few miles from her home in Haslemere, in Blackdown Woods near Lurgashall, last October.
She was killed by a blow to the head and a stab wound to the throat.
Surrey Police Federation, said the target was £10,000 but the fund now stood at £28,000.
'Frustration and anger'
Spokesman Kieran Diamond said an appeal had gone out across the Police Federation nationally.
He said: "There was the frustration and anger and upset at what happened. They wanted to do something."
Charitable events were organised so money could be put into a trust for Ms Cooper's children, he said.
And he added: "I was a little bit concerned, as the austerity measures started to bite and people were losing pay and utility bills were going up, whether it was feasible.
"Clearly it was. It exceeded that. It's a great success story for us."
Mr Diamond said fund-raising would continue until June and the target had now been set at £30,000, with a charity walk and an auction still to be held.
Ms Cooper, who was originally from York, was on maternity leave at the time of her death.
Her former partner, Peter Foster, 35, of West Street, Haslemere, has been charged with her murder and is due to face trial in Sussex in April.