Tributes paid to two ‘brave’ police officers killed in A66 crash

Police officers at the scene of the fatal crash involving a police car and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 (Owen Humphreys/PA) PA Wire Clara Margotin 4 minutes ago Tributes have poured in for two “brave” police officers who died in a crash on the A66 that killed five others on Saturday morning.

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.

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.”

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear about the crash, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts were with all those affected.

Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller speaking to the media (Owen Humphreys/PA) PA Wire 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”.

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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.