Newlyweds PC Andrew Harper and his wife looking forward to honeymoon when he was killed

Police Constable Andrew Harper had been married to his fiancee Lissie for barely a month when he was mown down by a car while attending the scene of a burglary on Thursday.

The couple, who had been together for 10 years before they got engaged in Italy in May 2017, had been due to go on their honeymoon in a few days.

Now his young widow and their wider family have been left “absolutely bereft” at his death in the line of duty.

Photographs posted by the couple on their Facebook pages at the end of July show them at their "dream wedding", happily posing for photographs in the landscaped Georgian grounds of Ardington House, near Oxford.

PC Harper’s uncle Dale Shrimpton, from Burnham, near Windsor, wrote on Facebook: “He’s my oldest nephew. My sisters first born. Mum and dads first grandson... And was married two weeks ago at a dream wedding. We are devastated. He was the loveliest person that you will ever meet. I can't begin to tell you how we feel..

The 28-year-old policeman’s grandmother, Maureen Shrimpton, added her own tribute, saying: “Just a really horrible day. Our grandson Andrew was killed last night while doing his police work. So proud of him. Our love goes to his lovely wife, Mum and Dad, brother and all of his family and friends.”

PC Harper, who was born in Oxford, joined Thames Valley Police in 2010, first as a special constable, becoming a regular uniformed officer the following year.

At one stage he was assigned to the force’s Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit based at Amersham, covering a busy area which includes the M40 and A40, dealing with road accidents and vehicle crime.

One particularly significant tribute came from a fellow officer who said PC Harper had helped her when she was the victim of domestic violence.

Sally Benatar, the leader of the Met’s South West London Borough Command Unit wrote on Twitter: “So sad to read this. PC Harper was the officer in the case when my then husband was arrested for domestic violence in 2016.

“He was onThames Valley Police’s Response then. He was brilliant and gave me the courage to take steps to change my life. I can’t thank him enough. He was a top officer.”

One of PC Harper’s former police colleagues, Fred Swanborough, wrote: "God bless, such a lovely bloke, had the pleasure of working alongside him for a short period last year.. Thank you for your service PC Harper, RIP."

PC Harper’s young widow, who studied at Henley College, runs a print business and online gift from nearby Wallingford, selling handmade stationery and accessories she makes herself.

In a recent Facebook comment to one of her own posts, Ms Harper, 28, said: “I can't believe our wedding was almost two weeks ago, we have just had a sneaky peak of some of our photos from our amazing photographer. Thank you so much to everyone who came and who helped to make it the most perfect day, The sun was shining and the venue was incredible. We could not have asked for more.”

PC Harper’s Facebook shows photographs of him scuba diving and hiking with Ms Harper. The couple travelled extensively together, including to Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

The police officer, who was recently based at Abingdon police station, had been planning to take part in a charity run at the Dirty Weekend 2020 Burghley, a 20-mile obstacle course near Peterborough, for Children with Cancer UK.