A fundraiser set up in memory of two police officers killed in the A66 crash is close to reaching its £1.2m target. As of publication, the fund for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough stands at £1,162,810, with 42,000 people having donated.
Fundraiser Launched by Cleveland Police Federation
The fundraiser was launched by the Cleveland Police Federation, which said the force had been left "numb" by the sudden and tragic loss of the two popular and well-respected officers. Money has been flooding in since the page was set up, including a £5,000 donation from a named donor, according to Teesside Live.
The money raised will be split between the families of the two officers. PC Blades, 37, was married with two sons, and PC Clough, 38, leaves behind a partner.
Tributes and Crash Details
Before Middlesbrough FC's home game against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, fans and players applauded the officers. Their faces were shown on large screens minutes before kick-off in emotional scenes.
The officers were killed when a Volkswagen Passat, travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway, hit their vehicle on the A66 in South Bank in the early hours of Saturday, August 22. Five people in the Passat also died: Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
Public Response and Investigation
The GoFundMe page was set up at 5pm on Sunday, and within less than 24 hours it topped £250,000. Organisers wrote that both officers were "dedicated and committed" and "paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty." They added: "Any funds raised will be split equally between their two families to be used as they so wish."
Lauren Somerville, Chair of Cleveland Police Federation, said: "We are simply staggered by the public’s reaction to this fundraising request - and would like to thank each and every person who has kindly donated. It means so much." She added: "We are a small force, and the death of our colleagues has been felt deeply... we are completely numb. Matt and Tom were not just colleagues... they were friends, teammates and valued members of the policing family."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating the collision, verified some circumstances leading up to the crash. Initial enquiries established that Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding numerous incidents linked to a Volkswagen Passat. An armed response vehicle began a pursuit until the Passat travelled onto the A66 in South Bank, against the flow of traffic. At 3.39am, the Passat collided with another police vehicle carrying PCs Blades and Clough.
Cleveland Police has arrested 24 people following the fatal collision, with inquiries continuing.
