Two police officers who died in a crash that killed five others in the early hours of Saturday morning have been named. Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough collided with their marked police vehicle that was going in the right direction.
Investigation launched after fatal collision
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police. Officers from Cleveland Police spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with a police car, the watchdog said.
Tributes from chief constable and MP
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said it was an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland”. “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,” she added. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash.
Road closures and scene details
The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston. Police officers manned both ends of the cordon and the crash site was not visible from the road closures. A large white tent was erected over the scene, with multiple emergency service vehicles around. Police have put into effect a drone exclusion zone around the scene of the collision.
The closed section of the A66 is bordered by large industrial units to the north and is close to the major Teesworks site. Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the accident happened, said of the two police officers who died: “They went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families. Their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.”
Community and federation reactions
David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”. Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today. Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not. And that is just unfathomable.”
