By Safira Ali

Last updated at 11:57, Saturday, 05 December 2009

PC Bill Barker’s niece has recorded a CD in his memory to raise money for charity.

Bethany Galbraith

Twelve-year-old Bethany Galbraith is releasing her version of Mariah Carey hit Hero, accompanied by the Welsh Television Orchestra, next week.

PC Barker lost his life whilst diverting traffic away from the Northside Bridge in Workington, which collapsed due to the floods.

All the proceeds from the sale of the CD will be sent to the Great North Air Ambulance Service for the Pride of Cumbria area, which was her uncle’s favourite charity.

Her mother Alison said: “Bethany said she was always very proud of the work that her Uncle Billy carried out, not only as a traffic officer in Cumbria but also as a family liaison officer.

“She wanted to find a way so that people would remember her brave uncle but also to say thank you to all the other heroes who help people every day and were helping the people that had been flooded in Cumbria.

“She named her Uncle Bill the Cumbrian hero.”

Mrs Galbraith, who is PC Barker’s sister-in-law, added: “I can’t put it into words how proud we are of her. For a 12-year-old to be thinking of others like this is lovely.

"When it happened during the night she was thinking about him. She said she was so proud of what he did. How could we say no to her recording this? She wanted to do this for all the emergency services too. She is part of a theatre group, but she has never done anything to this level before. I was walking on air when I heard it.

“She has put a lot of feeling into it. There were parts when she got emotional and she had to take a deep breath and compose herself. But I think it’s amazing.

“This is for Bill, but it’s also for everybody in the emergency services. All of Bill’s colleagues have been great. The support they have given the family has been out of this world.”

The Galbraith family are originally from Whitehaven. They now live in south Wales where Bethany recorded the song last weekend.

A website has been set up and will be live within the next few days where people can pre-order the CD and leave messages of support for the family, or find details of how to support the Great North Air Ambulance Service. The website is www.cumbrianhero642.co.uk, or email Cumbrianhero642@hotmail.co.uk for more information or to pre-order the CD. Mrs Galbraith added that the CD has been produced with the full support of the family of which they are proud to be part of.

First published at 08:59, Saturday, 05 December 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk