A friend and colleague of PC Andrew Harper paid tribute at his funeral yesterday.

PC Jordan Johnstone worked alongside PC Andrew Harper in Amersham. 

Speaking at Andrew Harper's funeral, PC Johnstone described his 'infectious smile' and hobbit-like eating habits.

Jordan Johnstone said: "Dear Harps…

"I first met Harps at police training college. Amongst the many new faces, you can’t help but notice someone who has to duck under every door. That coupled with an enormous smile made him someone I just had to talk to. He excelled through his training and in the words of his tutor, “Andrew’s flair for the job was immediately apparent.

"Harps moved on from training to the response team in South Bucks. This is where he really began to stretch his legs. He learned his craft and developed into a proactive and talented officer

"Now, everyone thinks Harps was always destined to become a traffic cop, however that isn’t entirely true. He had aspirations for flying. He went as far as arranging an attachment with the police helicopter and attended RAF Benson with his usual excitement and enthusiasm. He then spent five hours in the air, throwing up and feeling horrendous. By his own admission, hovering does bad things to your stomach, it was just not for him.

Oxford Mail:

"I remember Harps’ first day on traffic. He arrived in the office with a clean white hat, shiny boots, and an incredible range of tupperware. Each one of his five a day in a different pot and easily identified with their different coloured lids. This was a theme that continued throughout his career.

"Our time at Amersham was a mixed bag. Being in the police is one of the hardest, yet most rewarding jobs in the world. We were involved in pursuits, we gave CPR, we worked Royal Weddings, and we delivered life changing messages. All of this was made bearable through the fun we had as a team. We laughed, we joked and we never stopped smiling.

"We also went through our darkest days when we lost Simon Caddy. The death of a crewmate was an event that changed both of our lives forever. Harps wrote a poem for his funeral which was the perfect farewell to a friend and colleague.

"Harps’ career then moved on, he worked out of Abingdon where he built many new friendships. This all culminated in his application to join the elite Proactive Roads Policing department, known as the Tango Victors. Elite is a matter of perspective - normally theirs. However it was a role he was extremely proud of.

"So… how will we remember you? I asked a few of our colleagues on their thoughts of where this paragraph might go. One of the most consistent topics was his love of food. Like a Hobbit his day revolved around the seven meals required to keep those massive feet moving.

"- Breakfast - Second Breakfast - Elevenses - Luncheon - Afternoon tea - Dinner - Supper just before bed.

"All of these meals had to be worked into a days’ patrol. The majority were carried in his stab vest so they were close to hand.

"This is how I will remember you.

"Your smile was infectious and your humour relentless. Even in the darkest of times you made me laugh. Your personality shone through in everything you did and I’m so very, very proud of you. Proud of the police officer you became and proud of everything you achieved in your life. I feel privileged to have worked with you and even more so to call you my friend. Your outlook on life never faltered and your positivity knew no bounds.

"I’d like to finish with a little quote by Roald Dahl. To me this was written about you.

“I began to realise how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.”