Leicestershire Constabulary have tonight confirmed that a serving police officer was killed in a road traffic collision last Friday.

PC Guy Swatland (49) was a beat officer for the Stoneygate and Knighton beat at Welford Road local policing unit.

He was riding a pedal cycle that was involved in a collision with a silver Mercedes Sprinter at around 8.45am this morning on the A6 in Great Glen. He was off duty at the time.

Speaking this afternoon Chief Constable Matt Baggott, said: "Guy was a dedicated and highly respected beat officer. He was not only hugely popular with his colleagues, but was also well known, liked and truly influential in the community he served, resulting in him being named 'Beat Bobby of the Year' in 2008.

"His death has come as a terrible shock and my thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."

Chief Superintendent Chris Garnham, City BCU Commander, said: "The death of a colleague is always a terrible shock and I know many of us are feeling the loss.

"Guy had worked for Leicestershire Constabulary for over 15 years and was an enthusiastic, dedicated and well respected beat officer who was a credit to Welford Road local policing unit and the Force as a whole.

"He will be greatly missed by his colleagues and the community he served. The fact that Guy was named 'Beat Bobby of the Year' last year shows the high regard the people of Stoneygate and Knighton had for him.

"I will always remember a recent conversation I had with Guy in which he told me he had started work at 4am that morning to tackle burglaries on his beat and would be outside a local school at 4pm to sort out problems there. For me that sums Guy up – he was always there when people needed him. He will be greatly missed."

A book of condolences will be available in the front enquiry office at Welford Road Police Station for any members of the public who wish to leave tributes to Guy, with special arrangements being made for the enquiry office to be open over the coming weekend.

PC Harvey Watson worked with PC Swatland at Welford Road LPU. He said: "Guy was a dear friend and a fantastic colleague. We always had a lot of banter and he will be greatly missed at Welford Road police station.

"I know he will also be sadly missed in Stoneygate and Knighton where he was a well liked and respected beat bobby."

A 43-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the collision.

Detectives investigating the incident still want to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision. They're particularly keen to speak to the occupants of a white van which stopped at the scene following the incident but left before police arrived.

These people may have important information that helps the investigation and officers urge them to get in touch.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact DS 1522 Mark Watling from SCIU on Leicester (0116) 222 2222, follow the instructions to leave a message for an officer and when prompted key in his identification number 1522.