Funeral held for PC Matthew Blades, killed in A66 wrong-way crash

The funeral of PC Matthew Blades, one of two Cleveland Police officers killed in a collision on the A66, took place in Hartlepool. The 37-year-old died on 22 August when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way struck his marked armed response vehicle near Middlesbrough, claiming seven lives in total.

Road closures were implemented across Hartlepool from 07:30 BST to facilitate a full police ceremonial funeral. Hutton Avenue was closed from its junction with Mulgrave Road, alongside St Paul's Road and South Road from the junction with Mitchell Street. Any vehicles remaining on these roads after 07:30 BST were removed to clear the route.

PC Blades and his colleague PC Tom Clough, 38, were searching for the Passat after its cloned registration plates triggered an automated number plate recognition camera. According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), officers had pursued the vehicle for almost seven minutes following its connection to earlier alleged criminal activity, but the pursuit was abandoned 10 seconds before the collision when it turned onto the dual carriageway. The two officers were not directly involved in the pursuit itself.

The crash, which occurred at 03:39 BST, also claimed the lives of five occupants of the Passat: Cole Worthy and Theo Rae, both 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak.

How did the community respond to PC Blades' death?

Speaking on behalf of his family, Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville described the profound impact of PC Blades' loss on those who knew him. She said

life feels unbearably quiet

without the father-of-two's

silly jokes

and laughter. Somerville noted that flowers had been delivered to force stations and that people from Australia, France and America had made contact to express their condolences.

The support has been overwhelming, and it's been comforting,

Somerville said. She highlighted how even small gestures of respect from the public—such as a nod or a thank you when encountering officers—had provided significant strength to the force during this difficult period.

Somerville described the atmosphere among Cleveland Police officers as one of collective duty and pride.

All of the officers across the country will have felt this and Cleveland is such a small force, so it's personal to have lost Matthew and Tom,

she said.

I think the common feeling has been a sense of duty and a sense of pride, doing everything we can to make it perfect.

Officers stood side-by-side in uniform at the funeral

filled with pride and dignity.

Who was PC Matthew Blades?

Before joining the police force, PC Blades had worked as an English teacher at Carmel College in Darlington. The school remembered him as an

intelligent, kind and approachable teacher

who

gave generously of himself to the young people in his care.

Somerville described PC Blades through the eyes of his family members.

I've spoken to Matthew's family and he was described as a best friend, a husband, a father, a brother and a son,

she explained.

He was funny and his laughter and silly jokes made them smile even when they least expected it, he brought light and laughter into every room he came into.

What was the scale of public mourning?

The funeral drew significant public attention and support. According to reporting on the event, large crowds gathered at St John The Evangelist Church in South Bank, with head teachers warning families about likely traffic disruptions in the area. Despite the expected crowds, Cleveland Police reported that the day passed with very minimal traffic disruption.

The investigation into the crash has been substantial. The A66 section in South Bank between Eston Road and Normanby Road remained closed until later on 22 August for repairs, and inquests have since opened into the deaths of both officers. A fundraiser established in the wake of the tragedy has exceeded £1 million, reflecting the widespread sympathy for the officers and their families.

Football clubs also paid tribute to the fallen officers. Middlesbrough and West Brom players observed a minute's silence to honour PC Blades and PC Clough, and Manchester United honoured PC Blades at Old Trafford, with his sons leading out the team against Ipswich.

What happens next?

The investigation continues with 24 arrests made in connection with the incident. A separate funeral for Jakub Matusiak, one of the five occupants of the Passat, was scheduled for 4 September at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road, with several local schools planning early closures on that day. Cleveland Police confirmed that no schools, services or businesses had been instructed to close, with any closures left to individual risk assessments.