THEY were a young family with their whole lives ahead of them.

Having been together for nine years Steve and Kerry Rawson tied the knot with their children by their side, looking forward to what their future would bring.

But their world was shattered just 27 days after that special day when PC Rawson was killed while on duty in a high speed crash.

Yesterday after six days of evidence a jury at the inquest into the 40-year-old’s death concluded the undercover officer’s death was accidental.

The dad-of-two from Bishop-stoke was killed during a high speed crash involving a silver BMW, driven by Michal Pliszczynski, that was turning right out of a petrol station on Thomas Lewis Way. PC Rawson was riding at around 90mph while on an undercover operation when the crash happened on April 3 last year. Today the pain of PC Rawson’s loss is as raw as it was on the day he died more than a year ago – but his widow Kerry has stayed strong for the children that he was so proud of.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo the 37-year-old paid tribute to the man she loved and spoke of the comfort she takes from the fact they had the chance to tie the knot before he died.

She said: “It was a lovely day. It was about the four of us and it is a huge comfort that we got to do that.

“He didn’t like the formality of things. Everything was light hearted but sincere.”

The pair met while both working for Hampshire Police, but it was the job that brought them together that was to cruelly rip them apart, leaving Kerry facing a future without the man she loves.

Kerry said: “It feels like there is nothing. You lose the person that you love. You see the path that you thought your life was going down become a dead end.”

But while the last year has been an agonising nightmare for the mum-of-two, the outpouring of support from family, friends, colleagues and strangers has been overwhelming.

“The responsibility of bringing up our children on my own is scary at times and very isolating”, said Kerry, “so it’s a huge comfort that people care.

“I just what them to be happy kids but to continue how we brought them up together and knowing that he would be proud of them.”

For PC Rawson his children, who were just four and seven months old when he died, were his world.

Kerry added: “To us as a family he was an amazing dad.

“He had a really special bond with the children and he was the fun factor in life for them.”

With the inquest over Kerry now hopes to finally be allowed to grieve for her husband.

She said: “I just want to get on and grieve for Steve, grieve for the person that I loved.

“He was always told that he lit up a room when he walked in or lowered the tone. That was his personality – people knew he was around.

“He could get on with anyone and hold their attention and he was a real team player, who was damn good at his job.

“He will be greatly missed by his friends and family.”