The two sons of PC Matthew Blades, one of the Cleveland Police officers killed in the A66 crash, walked out with Manchester United as mascots at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Tragic crash details
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died when a Volkswagen Passat crashed into their marked police armed response vehicle. The Passat had been fleeing from police and was travelling the wrong way on the A66 in South Bank when the collision occurred at 3.39am on Saturday, August 22. The five occupants of the Passat also died at the scene: Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak.
Cleveland Police confirmed its officers had been investigating suspected organised crime, and 24 individuals have been arrested.
Tribute at Old Trafford
Manchester United included a tribute to PC Matthew Blades in their matchday programme before their Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town on Sunday. They described him as a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others.
His wife Sarah and their two sons were invited to Old Trafford for the match. The youngsters accompanied the team onto the pitch as mascots, walking alongside captain Bruno Fernandes and goalkeeper Senne Lammens, reports Teesside Live.
A photograph of PC Blades with his two sons at Old Trafford appeared in the programme. There was also a tribute from an unnamed close friend and colleague. It said: "For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family."
"Since Matt's tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support. That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness. Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero."
Further tributes and fundraiser
On Saturday, Middlesbrough paid tribute to the two officers at the Riverside Stadium, where Boro supporters applauded them ahead of the 12.30pm home fixture against West Bromwich Albion. Players from both sides formed a guard of honour while images of the two officers were displayed on the screen behind them.
At Hartlepool United's match against Eastleigh FC on Friday, two police helmets were placed on the pitch to honour the lives of each officer, as a two-minute silence was observed. It also came to light on Friday that King Charles had written to the families of the officers, stating they had made the 'ultimate sacrifice'.
A fundraiser established in memory of the two officers is close to reaching £1.2 million. A remarkable 42,000 people have contributed to the fund, which, at the time of publication, stands at £1,173,000. The GoFundMe page was set up by the Cleveland Police Federation, with the money raised to be divided between the families of the officers.
