Met Police officer died in Bayford crash while on duty

PC Dan Golding was described as "kind" and "funny" by his family

Police are appealing for information after an officer on a motorcycle died in a crash while on duty.

PC Dan Golding, 46, died at the scene in Lower Hatfield Road, Bayford, near Hertford, on Thursday morning, Hertfordshire Police said.

He was a serving Met Police officer, who had previously been a protective motorbike rider for the Queen.

His family said PC Golding's death "left a hole in all our lives that will never be filled".

Herts Police said he was on duty at the time of the collision between his BMW motorbike and a Renault Traffic van, but he was not responding to an incident.

A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and released under investigation while inquiries continued.

'Hole in our lives'

PC Golding had previously served with Hampshire Constabulary and still lived in the county.

In a statement, his family said he was a "dedicated family man" who "spent every spare moment of his life with his children".

They described him as a "kind, modest, generous, sociable, thoughtful and funny" man.

"Dan's ultimate dream was to become a rider with the Special Escort Group (SEG).

"Over several years he was lucky enough to escort and protect the Queen and many others at national events and international summits," they said.

"He loved his role as a police motorcyclist and as a senior crash investigator he dealt with the worst kinds of tragedy in the most professional way and helped the families of those affected.

"Losing this kind-hearted, gentle husband, father, brother, son and friend is a terrible sadness to everyone who knew him. He has left a hole in all of our lives that will never be filled."

'Early stages'

Det Sgt Mark Dollard, from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "I want to pass on my condolences to PC Golding's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time; it is always sad when someone loses their life in the line of duty."

He appealed for any witnesses to the collision and the lead-up it to come forward, especially anyone who had dashcam footage.

"Although the investigation is in its early stages, we are determined to conduct thorough inquiries to establish how this collision occurred," he said.

In a Facebook post, Hampshire Police Federation said PC Golding's former colleagues were "devastated" and that he had been a roads policing officer with them before transferring to the London force's driving academy in February.

He had also served with Surrey Police.