Flares set off and balloons released as hundreds gather for vigil after A66 crash

Hundreds of people gathered at a tense vigil after seven people, including two police officers, died in a crash on the A66.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat, which had been pursued by police, was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway near Middlesbrough early on Saturday and hit their marked armed response vehicle.

The five people travelling in the Volkswagen – Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak – were pronounced dead at the scene at South Bank.

Cleveland Police said 12 other people have been arrested over alleged criminality leading up to the collision in Teesside.

These included four people arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and four on suspicion of possessing a firearm.

Four of the suspects are also accused of possessing Class A and B drugs with intent to supply.

Four of the five young men in the car had previous criminal convictions, and were believed to be associated with another car which was seen ramming properties earlier that morning.

A silent prayer vigil was held at St John the Evangelist Church in South Bank on Monday.

The Times reports that around 200 people gathered at a field nearby to release balloons and pay tribute.

Young people wearing masks arrived on scooters, off-road bikes and quad bikes before driving around the field, it added.

Boys on bikes held orange and red flares which filled the sky with smoke, and tensions flared regarding the five young men who died.

One person at the vigil told the newspaper that Mr Matusiak was “somebody’s son” and said the officers’ deaths were an “accident”.

A woman said: “Jakub was a lovely, caring lad and he’s somebody’s son and somebody’s brother. He’s not some scumbag who should just be written off and forgotten.”

However, another person told The Times that the gathering was “nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen” and claimed they saw drinking, drug use and reckless driving.