Hundreds of extra police officers deployed to Middlesbrough after stabbing, A66 crash and house fire - leaving nine dead
It follows a string of incidents in recent days which have left nine people dead including a crash on the A66 and a fatal house fire
More than 200 extra police officers have been diverted to Cleveland after a string of incidents including a car crash which left seven people dead, a stabbing and a fatal house fire.
Listen to this article
Police investigations continue after a woman and a seven-year-old girl were found dead after the house fire in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, less than a mile away from Saturday's deadly A66 crash.
Early on Thursday morning, a car rammed into a wall outside a house in Steele Crescent, South Bank.
Hours later on Thursday afternoon a man was stabbed at an address in Eston, near Middlesbrough at around midday.
Cleveland Police said that a 39-year-old was assaulted with a bladed weapon but no arrests have yet been made.
Following the spate of incidents, Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, announced that more than 200 officers would be deployed from around the country to support the area's forces.
Read more: Two police officers killed in A66 crash died from 'head and neck injuries', inquest hears
Read more: Fundraiser for police officers killed in A66 crash hits £1million donations
He said on social media: “Thank you so much to the superintendent from Cleveland Police that has just taken their time to give updates to myself, Anna Turley (MP for Redcar), South Bank and Grangetown Ward councillors.
“They are working 20-hour days to ensure the ongoing safety of innocent residents.
“Over 200 extra police officers from forces around the country are here and are en route, from detectives to armed response.
“I will be sending a letter today to our Prime Minister asking for even more resource.
“The police really are doing an amazing job.
“If it is any reassurance at all, jobs called in to the police are actually down this week, however, the seriousness of the ones that have been called in need serious and swift action.
“Everyone is heartbroken over the loss of the aunt and little girl in Grangetown yesterday.
“People need to feel safe in their homes.”
It comes on the same day that inquests opened into the deaths of Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, who died following the head-on collision on the A66 in the early hours of Saturday.
The provisional cause of death was said to be head and neck injuries for Pc Blades, and neck injuries for Pc Clough.
It comes on the same day that a vehicle crashed into a wall outside a house near Middlesbrough, and also minutes away from the scenes of the crash and a fatal fire which killed a child and her aunt.
Valentina Foster, seven, and Natalie McDonald, 34, died in the blaze, in which two men, aged 23 and 31, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
The police have not ruled out a link between the incidents and previously said they may be linked to organised crime.
The incidents both follow the A66 crash on Saturday morning when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction. Police have arrested 17 people in connection with the crash as part of investigations into alleged organised crime.
Five passengers in the car - Michael Robert Cahill, Jacob Matusiak, both 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 16, and Makai Saddington, 18 - all died at the scene.
PC Blades, 37, a husband and father-of-two, and PC Clough, 38, were also killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction.
Andy Burnham said the Government is offering “all of the support that the authorities need” after the “terribly tragic” house fire.
Asked about the incidents, the Prime Minister told reporters during a visit to South Wales: “Obviously we’re offering all of the support that the authorities need.
“The important thing, it’s a terribly tragic event that’s happened with the loss of a young woman and her seven-year-old niece.”
Officers investigating the South Bank crash said they had not yet confirmed whether it was linked to wider organised crime.
Local policing Superintendent Emily Harrison said: “The property was empty at the time and we have not currently received any reports of any injuries.
“Officers are conducting inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding this incident.
“Our investigation is in its early stages and it has not yet been confirmed whether this incident is linked to wider organised crime.”