Two police officers named after seven killed in wrong-way A66 crash near Middlesbrough
Cleveland Police officers killed in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough have been named as PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. The
Two Cleveland Police officers killed in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough have been named as PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough. The crash, in South Bank on Teesside shortly after 03:30 BST on Saturday, also killed five people travelling in the other vehicle.
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller called the men “brave officers protecting our communities” and said it was an “incredibly sad day” for the force. She said the loss had been felt across the police family, local communities and partner agencies. Both officers’ families have been visited and offered support.
Wrong-way collision
Police said a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway hit a marked Cleveland Police vehicle. Seven people died at the scene. The force said all occupants of both vehicles were pronounced dead where the crash happened.
Reports from the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct, said the officers had been pursuing a suspicious vehicle before the collision, though other accounts said the pursuit had ended before the crash and the police car was in the South Bank area at the time. The IOPC has opened an investigation after a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.
The watchdog said it must now be allowed time and space to work without speculation. That inquiry will examine the sequence of events around the collision and the circumstances that led two vehicles into the same stretch of road in the early hours.
Emergency response
Images from the scene showed a large emergency response. North East Ambulance Service said it sent 14 ambulance resources. Roads in the area were heavily affected as police and ambulance crews worked at the site through the morning.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was devastated by the news and thanked emergency services for their response. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp also offered condolences and urged restraint while investigators do their work.
For Cleveland Police, the immediate focus has shifted to the families of the dead and the investigation now under way. The force has said the full circumstances still need to be established. That process is next.
