A Met Police officer killed 25 years ago by convicted murderer Kenneth Noye is to be remembered by colleagues today.

Detective Constable John Fordham, aged 45, was stabbed to death while carrying out surveillance work at Noye's home in West Kingsdown, Kent, on January 26, 1985.

Det Con Fordham was part of an undercover team gathering information on Noye's involvement in the laundering of £26 million of bullion from the Brinks Mat heist at Heathrow Airport in 1983.

Commander Peter Spindler, head of covert policing for the Met Police, will today unveil a trophy dedicated to DC Fordham's memory.

The Fordham Trophy will be presented annually to the individual who has made the most significant contribution to surveillance.

Commander Spindler said: "From everything that I have heard about him, it is clear that John was a very special person.

"I have a 3ft-high picture of John by my desk. This picture is a constant reminder of the dangers our staff put themselves in on behalf of the public.

"John is looking down when I am signing the authorities and making the operational decisions that might put our staff in danger."

Noye, now 62, was acquitted of Det Con Fordham's murder after pleading self-defence.

But he was jailed for conspiring to handle gold from the robbery and conspiring to evade VAT payments.

Noye was released from prison in 1994 after serving eight years of a 14-year sentence.

However in 1996 Kent police launched a massive manhunt for Noye after 21-year-old Stephen Cameron, who grew up in in Beachenlea, Swanley, was stabbed to death at the M25 Swanley junction in front of his 17-year-old fiancee.

Noye, born in Bexleyheath, was sentenced to life in 2000 for Mr Cameron's murder.

Police captured Noye after he fled to Spain under another name.