King Charles has written personal letters of condolence to the widows of two Cleveland Police officers killed in the A66 crash, telling them their loved ones “made the ultimate sacrifice”.
PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, on the A66 dual carriageway near South Bank, close to Middlesbrough. The King praised their service in his letters.
Royal condolences and crash details
A royal source told the Mirror: “His Majesty the King was shocked by the devastating events and wrote personally to the families of the police officers involved to express his deepest sympathies for their loss.”
The two officers were inside a marked armed response vehicle when a Volkswagen Passat, travelling at speed in the wrong direction, smashed into them head-on. PC Clough and PC Blades were killed at the scene.
All five young men in the Passat also died, bringing the death toll to seven. Police had been pursuing the Passat through residential streets shortly before the crash. The pursuit was officially aborted just 10 seconds before impact when the vehicle turned onto the A66 against the flow of traffic. The two officers who died were not part of the active chase.
Inquest and public support
An inquest opening at Teesside Coroner’s Court heard provisional medical evidence that both officers died from severe head and neck injuries.
Details of Charles’s letters emerged as the Cleveland Police Federation’s GoFundMe appeal neared its £1.2m target on August 28. A separate appeal has also reached almost £52,000. The money raised will go to the officers’ families.
The federation appeal was launched with the message: “They were both dedicated and committed Police Officers who left their families and went to work to serve their community and protect the public.
“Tragedy struck these two brave Cleveland Police colleagues in the early hours of 22nd August - and they paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. They did not return home to their families.
“They leave behind heartbroken loved ones who will struggle to come to terms with their loss.”
Lauren Somerville, Chair of Cleveland Police Federation, said they were “simply staggered” by the public’s reaction.
Tributes to the officers
Earlier in the week, PC Blades’ wife described him as a “beloved husband” and “most devoted father”, adding: “He may have left this world committed to the duty he believed in, but his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave to his family… he would be ‘forever our super hero’.”
PC Clough, a former Army veteran, leaves behind a partner. The federation added: “Matt and Tom were not just colleagues... they were friends, teammates and valued members of the policing family.”
