Thousands support medal for Oake

DC Stephen Oake was stabbed during an anti-terrorism raid

Nearly 8000 people have backed a campaign for Det Con Stephen Oake to be awarded a posthumous George Cross.

A petition was posted on Tony Blair's Downing Street website in November, calling for the murdered Manchester Special Branch officer to be honoured.

The 40-year-old father-of-three, from Poynton, Cheshire, was stabbed to death during a raid at a house in Crumpsall, Manchester, in 2003.

The petition will now be officially presented to the Prime Minister.

Kitchen knife

Paul Kelly, chairman of the Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation said: "This happened the best part of three years ago but there are still 8,000 people prepared to take the time to sign this petition.

"It must force the government to act. It's not about blame - it's just about accepting that a mistake has been made and rectifying the situation.

"I would urge Home Secretary John Reid to go back and look at the reports, as clearly Dc Oake's actions were above and beyond the call of duty."

Kamel Bourgass was jailed for life for murder in 2004

In 2003 Det Con Oake, 40, died after being stabbed by al-Qaeda suspect Kamel Bourgass, who had fled to a flat in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester, after police discovered a suspected chemical weapons laboratory in Wood Green, London.

During an anti-terrorism raid on the flat, Bourgass attacked Mr Oake with a kitchen knife, stabbing him in the chest eight times.

Bourgass, 32, was jailed for life in June 2004 after being found guilty of murder and the attempted murder and wounding of other police officers.

In a separate trial he was also convicted of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance through the manufacture of ricin poison.

Since Stephen Oake's death there have been growing calls for him to posthumously receive the George Cross, the civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross.