TWO police officers have been killed alongside five other people after a car travelling the wrong way on the A66 collided with a Cleveland Police vehicle near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the crash, which occurred at about 3.39am BST.
The five occupants of the Volkswagen Passat, who were believed to be in their late teens to early 20s, also died. Their identities have not yet been released.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The BBC understands a police pursuit involving the vehicle had ended before the collision, while the police vehicle occupied by Blades and Clough was in the South Bank area at the time.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the incident as an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland”, saying: “No one should leave their home and not return safely.”
Fuller said she and Deputy Chief Constable Jason Harwin had visited the officers’ families to offer their condolences and support as they came to terms with the deaths.
Tributes have poured in for the two officers, with political leaders and colleagues describing their deaths as a devastating loss.
Redcar MP Anna Turley said seven lives had been “cut short needlessly”, describing the incident as a tragedy for the local community and the Cleveland Police family.
She also paid tribute to the bravery of Blades and Clough, saying police officers should be able to return home to their families at the end of their shifts.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen described the incident as a “horrible and tragic” event, saying police officers were “heroes who put everything on the line to protect us”.
Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said the loss of the officers was “unfathomable”, adding that words could not describe the pain felt by the force.
The IOPC said its investigation was mandatory because the deaths followed police contact.
Its director of investigations, Nicola Marfleet, described the crash as a “tragic incident” and said the watchdog’s thoughts were with the families, friends and emergency services affected.
The watchdog said its preliminary understanding was that Cleveland Police had spotted a suspicious vehicle before a pursuit began.
Security footage from a house on Lime Road in Middlesbrough appeared to show a car being pursued by police vehicles about three minutes before the fatal collision.
The IOPC investigation will establish the circumstances leading up to the crash, including the police pursuit and events immediately before the collision.
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information while the investigation is under way.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp also called for the IOPC to be given the time and space to complete its investigation without speculation.
The A66, a major route through Teesside, remained closed on Sunday as police continued their work at the scene. - August 23, 2026
