CHEEKY, fun-loving and mischievous – and always with a smile on her face.

Ask any Southampton police officer to describe PC Sarah O’Connor and they will most likely use those words.

Today around 150 officers and staff are set to gather to say farewell to the “inspirational” 32-year-old after she lost her fight against cancer.

Sarah died earlier this month – just weeks after tying the knot to Tim O’Connor and celebrating with workmates at a party in Netley.

Determined to try and overcome her illness, last year she dressed as Snow White to take part in the annual Race for Life fundraiser with colleagues and later competed in the Great South Run.

Known for always wanting to have the final say, Sarah even took steps to raise a smile with colleagues after she had died, asking chief constable Alex Marshall to email a short message to her friends and colleagues once she had gone.

Sarah, who joined Hampshire police on May 10, 2004, wrote: “I have been proud to serve and thoroughly enjoyed my seven years working for Hampshire Constabulary and loved working at Shirley and Portswood. I am also very pleased that I realised my career goal of driving the area car.

“I would like to thank all my friends and colleagues for all the friendship and support you have given Tim and me.

“I am also very grateful to the chief for letting me have the last word, which I always try to do!”

Sarah’s funeral will take place in Southampton today, with officers in full uniform creating a guard of honour as the funeral cortège arrives.

Paying tribute, chief superintendent Matthew Greening said: “Sarah was a wonderful officer who had total commitment to her work for the Constabulary, her colleagues and serving people in Southampton. She had such strength of spirit and determination and immense love of life.

“Three weeks before she died I had the pleasure of showing her round the new station. She was so excited about the possibilities and opportunities and only shed a tear when she realised that she was never going to be bringing people she had arrested into the great new custody centre. She made it easy to know her and hard to accept losing her.”

Insp Mark Lewis, from Portswood station, added: “It was obvious for all to see how proud she was to be a police officer and that she really loved her job and working with her colleagues.

“Sarah displayed outstanding bravery and spirit and she was an inspiration to us all.”