Two Cleveland Police officers have been killed in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough after a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction struck their marked police car. PC Matthew Blades, aged 37, and PC Tom Clough, aged 38, died in the incident, which also claimed the lives of five males in their late teens to early 20s who were occupying the Volkswagen Passat that caused the crash. The collision occurred at approximately 03:39 BST on Saturday near South Bank.
According to reporting on the incident, the crash followed a pursuit that began after officers spotted a suspicious vehicle. The pursuit ended before the collision took place, and the police vehicle occupied by PC Blades and PC Clough was in the South Bank area at the time of impact. Cleveland Police confirmed the marked police vehicle was travelling in the correct direction when it was struck.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is now investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal collision. When a death occurs following police contact, referral to the IOPC is mandatory. The IOPC investigation is ongoing, with no date yet given for a conclusion or public outcome.
How the incident unfolded
Security footage from a property on Lime Road in Middlesbrough appears to show a vehicle being pursued by police units approximately three minutes before the fatal collision. Ring doorbell footage published by several outlets minutes before the crash shows a car being driven at speed down a residential road and being followed by police cars with lights and sirens activated. One local resident reported that the noise woke her and she could feel the vibration in her house as the vehicles passed at high speed through the residential area.
IOPC Director of Investigations Nicola Marfleet described the incident as a tragic incident and stated that her thoughts are with family and friends and all those affected, including the emergency services in attendance.
Tributes to the fallen officers
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described Saturday as an
incredibly sad day for Cleveland, emphasising that
no one should leave their home and not return safely.Fuller and her deputy chief constable visited the families of the deceased officers on Saturday to offer condolences and support as they began to process the loss. Fuller added that
these were brave officers, protecting our communities and serving our residents, who didn't return home to their families at the end of their shift.
Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville expressed the profound impact on the force, stating that the loss of the officers was
unfathomableand that
words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.She described the grief among officers as
all-consuming, overwhelming.
Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the crash occurred and a Home Office minister, paid tribute to the officers' commitment to public safety. She said the officers
went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families, adding that
their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.On Sunday, Turley told a national broadcaster that the whole community was
reelingfrom the tragedy and that it was
devastatingto think about the grief of the families of everyone who lost their lives.
Political and community responses
National and regional political figures expressed their condolences following the tragedy. The Prime Minister said he was
devastatedto hear that two police officers lost their lives on duty, as well as five members of the public, and urged people to
avoid speculation at this time.The Home Secretary also remembered the officers, with regional mayor Andy Burnham stating he was
devastatedby the news.
David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors representing the Eston ward, described themselves as
deeply saddenedby the
unimaginable tragedy.Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen called the incident
a horrible and tragic incidentin a statement, adding that
our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp shared his condolences and urged that the IOPC
must be given the time and space to complete their investigations without speculation.Turley also emphasised the importance of allowing families privacy to grieve and avoiding speculation about what might have happened.
What happens next
The IOPC investigation into the circumstances leading up to the fatal collision continues. No timeline has been announced for when the investigation will conclude or when findings will be made public. The watchdog has stated that at this early stage, it understands that Cleveland Police sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began, though further details remain under investigation.
Key facts
- Seven people died in the collision: PC Matthew Blades, 37; PC Tom Clough, 38; and five males aged in their late teens to early 20s who were in the Volkswagen Passat
- The crash occurred on the A66 near South Bank, Middlesbrough, at approximately 03:39 BST on Saturday
- The vehicle travelling the wrong way struck the marked police vehicle that was travelling in the correct direction
- The collision followed a police pursuit that had ended before the crash took place
- The IOPC is investigating the circumstances that led to the fatal incident
