Two police officers who lost their lives in a devastating collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough have been officially named. PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were fatally injured early on Saturday morning when a Volkswagen Passat, driving in the wrong direction, collided with their marked patrol vehicle, which was travelling correctly.
The collision, which occurred at around 3.39am in South Bank, also claimed the lives of five other people. Following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a formal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash.
According to the IOPC, Cleveland Police officers had identified a suspicious vehicle and initiated a pursuit before it entered the A66 the wrong way and collided with the police car. Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the incident as “an incredibly sad day for Cleveland”.
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“These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who did not return home to their families at the end of their shift,” she said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed his devastation upon learning of the tragedy.
The A66 remains closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston as the investigation continues. Police officers are present at both ends of the cordon, and a large white tent covers the collision site, which is flanked by numerous emergency vehicles. A drone exclusion zone has also been established around the area. The stretch of road runs adjacent to significant industrial premises and near the vast Teesworks development.
Anna Turley, Member of Parliament for Redcar, where the collision took place, paid tribute to the two officers. “They went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families. Their loss will be deeply felt by their loved ones, fellow officers, and throughout the communities they served,” she said.
Councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin, representing the Eston ward, expressed their sadness over the “unimaginable tragedy”.
Lauren Somerville, chairwoman of the Cleveland Police Federation, said: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family is feeling today. Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not. That is just unfathomable.”