A MEMORIAL garden for the Northern Ireland Prison Service was officially opened at Hydebank Wood yesterday by Princess Anne.
The Princess Royal laid a wreath in memory of the 32 members of the prison service who lost their lives in the course of duty, and met with their families.
She was presented with a posy of flowers by Victoria Moody, the youngest daughter of prison officer Adrian Ismay, who was killed in 2016 when a bomb exploded under his van in east Belfast.
Among those who attended the official opening were Ronnie Armour, director general of the prison service, PSNI chief constable George Hamilton and former justice minister David Ford.
Mr Armour said the garden provides a space to remember those who have died and "reflect on the contribution they made as well as the service they gave".
"It is a place of tranquillity and a permanent acknowledgement of the heavy price paid by the families of our murdered colleagues," he said.
