Tributes paid to two ‘brave’ police officers killed in A66 crash as police watchdog opens investigation

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Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat which was travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough collided with their marked armed response vehicle that was going in the right direction.

The families of the five people who were travelling in the Volkswagen are being supported by officers, Cleveland Police said on Saturday although they have not yet been named.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash at 3.39am in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.

Read more: Seven dead including two police officers after VW travelling wrong way crashes into cop car

Read more: Moment police pursue VW down residential street before it fatally crashed into cop vehicle on A66, killing seven

Officers from the force spotted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began before the car travelled onto the A66 and collided with the police car, the watchdog said.

In a statement to reporters on Saturday afternoon, Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said: “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.”

Ms Fuller added that their loss has been "felt across our communities, by our police family and by our partner agencies."

The two officers who died "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.

She said that she visited the families of both officers to "offer our condolences and support".

The formal identification of the five others killed has also taken place, police said.

She urged people that while the investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash was ongoing, "to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of the families."

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he was “devastated” to hear of the deaths of two police officers and five members of the public in a crash near Middlesbrough in the early hours of this morning.

He posted on X: “Devastated to hear that two police officers have lost their lives while on duty in Cleveland this morning, as well as five members of the public.

“My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of everyone involved, and with everyone at Cleveland Police."

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also described the crash on the A66 as "devastating".

She added in a statement: “Cleveland police have my support as they work to identify all those involve.

“Police officers put their own safety on the line to protect their communities every single day.

“The two officers were on active duty, serving the people of Cleveland.“

My thoughts are with all those affected, their families, friends, the emergency services who attended the scene and the wider police family.”

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said the crash was “a horrible and tragic incident”, adding “our police officers are heroes”.

He said: “A horrible and tragic incident in South Bank this morning and my thoughts are with those affected, their families and the emergency services who attended the scene.

“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”

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.”

David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen said in a statement on Facebook: “A horrible and tragic incident in Southbank this morning and my thoughts are with those affected, their families and the emergency services who attended the scene.

“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”

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.”

The tragedy prompted other police forces to send their condolences with Assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, saying:

“The loss of two dedicated officers in the line of duty is felt profoundly across the entire policing family and I have personally reached out to Chief Constable Victoria Fuller today, to extend our sincere sympathies.

“Our thoughts are firmly with the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives, as well as colleagues in Cleveland Police, at this incredibly difficult time.”

It comes days after five teenage boys died in a crash involving a car driving in the wrong direction on a motorway in Co Kildare, Ireland.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner said “the impact of this tragedy will be felt by many across the country”, while the Metropolitan Police said the loss of Pc Blades and Pc Clough would be “acutely felt across the policing family, particularly by those who had the privilege of serving alongside both officers”.

The A66 is closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston.

The closed section of the carriageway is bordered by large industrial units to the north and is close to the major Teesworks site.

A Section 60 order – which gives officers additional stop and search powers – is in place near the site of the crash until 7.15pm on Sunday.

It covers an area around Cargo Fleet Lane east, up to Normanby Road, along Longlands Road and the Trunk Road south to Ormesby Road.