Police slam torching of cars at A66 vigil as 'completely unacceptable' as Middlesbrough MP slams escalating unrest
It comes as police ruled out a link between the A66 crash and a house fire which left a seven-year-old girl and her aunt dead
A group of people who set fire to a number of vehicles as part of a tribute to one of those who died in the A66 crash near Middlesbrough have been slammed as "completely unacceptable".
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Five cars were left to burn out by police a the private field in the Haswell area of County Durham on Thursday afternoon.
A large crowd gathered to release balloons, flares, and fireworks as part of a tribute to one of those who died in the A66 crash last weekend, which killed seven people including two police officers.
The fires in Haswell are understood to have been a vigil to remember one of the crash victims, Michael Cahill, 23, but Assistant Chief Constable Jon McAdam said: "The behaviour we saw at last night’s gathering was completely unacceptable".
Read more: Middlesbrough house fire that killed two not linked to A66 crash, police reveal
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It is the latest in a series of incidents in the Middlesbrough and County Durham area, starting with the head-on crash, followed by a house fire which claimed the lives of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt on Wednesday.
PC Blades, 37, a husband and father-of-two, and PC Clough, 38, were killed when the Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the A66 collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction.
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.
However, detectives said on Friday they were not linking a house fire to the crash.
The MP for Middlesbrough also slammed the unrest, telling LBC that the events were "utterly appalling acts of wanton criminality".
The police have not ruled out a link between the incidents and previously said they may be linked to organised crime.
Assistant Chief McAdam said on Friday: "Our officers and the communities of County Durham and Darlington were understandably horrified by the tragedy which unfolded on the A66 last week which resulted in multiple deaths, including two serving police officers.
"We utterly condemn anyone who would use that tragedy as an excuse for disorder and expect the overwhelming majority of the public would join us in doing so."
Footage emerged appearing to show blue balloons and smoke rising into the air in the footage, but later clips showed at least two cars on fire, believed to be in the same field.
Remnants of fireworks, smoke canisters and balloons were scattered around the field where cars had been torched, with scorch marks visible on the ground.
The cars have been removed, but a section of a front bumper remained in place. it comes after 200 officers were drafted in to help police investigate the deaths of nine people over the last six days.
Amid reports of other incidents, including a stabbing and properties being rammed, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Andy McDonald described what is going on in the area as "terrorism".
Speaking to LBC, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough Andy McDonald told Tom Swarbrick: "Most people in Middlesbrough are going about their daily lives in peace without any difficulties.
"There are concentrated areas within our wider community that are suffering the most horrendous issues. I said it was terrorism because people are living in terror."
Mr McDonald said what the occupants of the car did was an "absolute outrage".
"So the acts of these people have got to be absolutely condemned, but we have to have a serious conversation about how we start to address it. And that's what's absent at the moment."
Mr McDonald added he was "eternally grateful" for the support provided for the extra 200 police officers drafted in.
"But that is a short-term measure. We have got to commit to the recruitment of those additional officers to be Cleveland police officers.
"If that requires short-term secondment from forces whilst we recruit, then so be it.
"I know that Andy Burnham and Lou Haig, amongst others, are taking this enormously seriously, and I'm grateful for the support that our Prime Minister has indicated that is on its way to us."
A force spokesperson said the vigil lasted around an hour and no one was injured.
They said: "The majority of the crowd had travelled from outside the County Durham area, bringing with them a number of vehicles.
"During the gathering, which lasted approximately one hour, five vehicles were set on fire and members of the crowd released balloons, flares, and fireworks.
"As the field was contained and it was assessed there was no immediate risk to wider public safety, the vehicle fires were allowed to burn-out."