Hundreds of mourners paid their last respects to a policewoman killed in the line of duty at her funeral yesterday.

PC Alison Armitage, 29, who was born in Malton, North Yorkshire, was serving with Greater Manchester Police when she was struck by a suspected stolen car at a car park earlier this month.

She was only the fourth female officer to die on duty in Britain.

The funeral cortege arrived at St Margaret's Church, Oldham, just 400 yards from where the incident happened.

Eight of her closest colleagues from Q Division lined the path up to the chapel as Guards of Honour while the coffin and family members entered the church.

Six pallbearers carried the coffin, which had a police drape and wreath. Three were police officers and three family members.

The procession was led by her parents Lillian and Stewart from Malton, North Yorkshire and PC Armitage's sisters, Elizabeth, 30 and Heather, 33.

The church was packed with about 450 grieving family, friends and colleagues and an audio system relayed the service by the Reverend John McGrath to more than a hundred people outside.

Before the first prayer the congregation listened to a CD compiled by Pc Armitage's family of her favourite music including Eric Clapton's If I Saw You In Heaven and Ronan Keating's Life Is A Roller-coaster.

A private burial was held yesterday afternoon at All Saints Church, Appleton-le-Street, close to her parents' home.

An 18-year-old man from Oldham, Thomas Whaley, has been charged with Pc Armitage's murder, wounding with intent to resist arrest and driving offences.