A POLICEMAN who launched a campaign to collect coppers' epaulettes in tribute to PC Andrew Harper has been sent 15,000 from around the world.

PC Stuart Roberts, 47, came up with the moving idea after leaving his own at the scene of the young police constable's tragic killing.

READ ALSO: PC Andrew Harper given posthumous honour award by the Police Federation.

PC Harper, 28, died on August 15 last year while responding to a burglary call-out near the village of Sulhamstead, Berkshire.

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PC Roberts posted a photo on social media after placing his shoulder mark in a clear perspex box - and was met with an overwhelming reaction.

This prompted him to set up a group asking for epaulettes from other officers - which has turned into a global movement.

Workers from all 'protective services' are now sending in their collar numbers in memory of colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty.

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He has received items from people in New Zealand, Russia, Sudan, the Falklands and even the Metropolitan Police's commissioner Cressida Dick.

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PC Roberts is planning to create an artwork of the epaulettes once he decides to stop taking the donations and also hopes to display them in a museum.

He said: "Sometimes, tragically, people lose their life in the line of duty.

"It's for anybody who wears an epaulette, essentially.

"Over the decades and generations there has been a healthy rivalry between the emergency services.

"But, when it comes down to it, we do stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder.

"We work day in, day out directly alongside each other.

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"We are one big family. I've had contributions from all over the world - contributions from people who have lost their fathers, mothers, brothers.

"I've lost count but it's probably about 15,000. They have just been coming in - they're still coming in.

"It's been great. The support I have had has been amazing.

"We planned to finish in December but we've extended so no one gets left behind. My chief constable if fully behind it, which has been fantastic."

PC Roberts decided to leave his own epaulettes at the scene of PC Andrew Harper's death after realising he couldn't take a traditional tribute on his bike.

He said: "I live about an hour up the road. I went to the scene but couldn't carry things like flowers.

"But I wanted to leave something so I left one of my epaulettes in a clear perspex box.

"Loads of people then commented [online] saying how personal it was. So I thought: 'We can collect loads for Andrew'.

"The Facebook group was how it all started. Andrew was the catalyst but the idea has very much mushroomed."

PC Roberts has enlisted the help of artist Sam Bailey to create a drawing once the request for donations has finished.

She previously sketched every member of the British armed forces who lost their life in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts.

PC Roberts, a forensic collision investigator at for Northamptonshire Police, said: "She happens to be one of the art teachers at the school my children went to.

"We got chatting at a parents' evening and it was like a lightbulb moment. We want to create all the different colours to create something to remember."

PC Roberts tweets out pictures of many of the donations @AddShoulders.