Summary

  • Two police officers, killed after a car travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway crashed into their vehicle, have been hailed as heroes

  • PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing, collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday

  • In tributes released by Cleveland Police, Clough's family said he had been "willing to help anyone" while Blades' wife described him as "loved beyond words"

  • Speaking to the BBC, locals described what had happened as a "tragedy", with one woman saying it would "affect our whole community"

  • The five people travelling in the Passat have been named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18 - all were killed

Watch: Police officers leave floral tributes near scene of the crash on Sunday

Live Reporting

Edited by Bethany White and Jamie Whitehead

  1. BBC Verify

    TikTok video appears to show killed teen in previous police chase

    Still from TikTok video

    By Benedict Garman

    A TikTok account believed to belong to Makai Saddington, one of the teenagers who died in Saturday's crash, includes a video of him and four other young people involved in what appears to be a police car chase.

    It was published on TikTok on 25 March 2025 and has since been deleted, along with the account.

    The video starts with the view out of the rear window of an Audi as a police car with its lights flashing chases it through a residential area.

    BBC Verify geolocated the route and found that of the approximately 1km (0.6 miles) driven in the video, only the first 100m is on a road.

    The rest of the video is driving on footpaths and parkland in Ormesby, Middlesbrough.

    Towards the end of the video, which lasts 1 minute 34 seconds, the camera turns and a young person, who appears to be Saddington, smiles at the camera.

    Facial comparison software matches other images of Saddington to the passenger in the rear of this Audi with very high confidence.

    Another video posted by the same account, also since deleted, appears to show a joyride where a passenger is smoking, with the speedometer showing 100mph (160kph).

    Then, later in the video, a different car is set on fire. The passengers in this video are not identifiable.

  2. Government urges social media companies to take down dangerous driving content

    The Defence Minister Luke Pollard has called on social media companies to remove posts that celebrate dangerous driving.

    Speaking to the BBC he says he wants to see social media companies "step up".

    "They know exactly what content is on their site, they know how their algorithms work, they also know that people post content to get views. The more views you can get - sometimes you get money for it.

    He says there's a "financial incentive" to post "outrageous content" that can bring more views.

    "When it's dangerous and unsafe like this, let's be absolutely clear, that content should not be online, should not be celebrating this type of behaviour and I hope social media companies take it down."

  3. Model police car among tributes placed at the scene

    The collection of flowers, balloons and cards for the victims has been growing on the junction of the A66 and Church/Eston Road.

    Among the tributes was a toy police car and hand-drawn pictures of officers.

    One of the letters read: "To go to work to keep our area safe and to not return home is truly heartbreaking.

    "Our heroes."

    Another said: "To the brave officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of duty."

    One of the letter paid tribute to the young men saying: "Rest easy lads.

    "We'll hold the memories forever."

    A yellow, blue and white toy police car is set among the floral tributes. There is a plastic flower set on top of it as well as a handwritten note. There are drawings of police officers and the word "RIP" on two pieces of paper wrapped around bouquets of flowers on the left of it.BBC / Philippa Goymer
    A piece of paper tucked inside the plastic wrapping a bouquet of flowers. It reads: "PC Matthew Blades. PC Tom Clough. This should never have happened. To go to work to keep our area safe and to not return home is truly heart breaking. Our heroes. To their families, we are all crying with you. As a stranger I cannot fathom your pain but please know we are stood with you as a community. Sending all the love in the world to both their families, friends and colleagues."BBC / Philippa Goymer

  4. Locals say 'devastating' deaths will affect whole community

    Locals and police officers have been leaving floral tributes and messages at a cordon at the scene of Saturday's crash.

    One couple spoke to the BBC at the cordon over the weekend. They said the "absolutely awful" crash would "affect our whole community".

    Elisia and Vincent Haarhoff said they wanted to come down to express their solidarity with police, who lost two of their colleagues.

    "No family deserves that," said Elisia. "God bless all the families, honestly."

    She added: "We wanted to come... [the police here have] always been so lovely."

    Vincent said the couple have relied on police a few times and know "quite a few of them", although they didn't know PC Matthew Blades or PC Tom Clough, who died in the crash on Saturday.

    'Devastating': Residents speak of fatal A66 crash

  5. 'We need to be there for Cleveland Police' - crime commissioner

    Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey says compassion is "important" for police during this time.

    "Those 999 calls don't stop, we've still got officers going out everyday dealing with those kind of issues, tackling crime locally they've got to continue doing this knowing what's happened, they're incredibly brave continuing to do the good work that they do."

    Speaking to BBC Radio Teesside he says Cleveland Police officers are "highly regarded" and have been there for their community in their time of need.

    "We need to be there now for Cleveland Police now as they deal with this tragedy."

    His message for the wider community is that they can approach officers and ask how they are, he hopes for an "arm around a shoulder" for them.

    "Let's just keep thinking about our police force in a positive way at this time because they need our support," he adds.

  6. Here's where the fatal A66 collision happened

    Map showing the location of a crash on the A66 in South Bank, east of Middlesbrough. An inset map highlights the location in north-east England, with the crash site marked on the road near the River Tees.

    The crash happened on the eastbound section of the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough on Teesside, at about 03:39 BST on Saturday.

    The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) says officers "sighted a suspicious vehicle" and a pursuit began, however the pursuit - which lasted "just under seven minutes" - had ended shortly before the fatal crash.

    According to the IOPC, the Volkswagen Passat started travelling the wrong way on the A66 and "approximately 10 seconds later" it collided with another police car - which was not part of the pursuit and was in the area "to assist in a search for the Passat believed to be using cloned plates".

    The crash killed officers PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, as well as the five occupants of the Passat.

  7. Community still 'numb', local councillor says

    Pamela Tickell
    BBC News, North East and Cumbria

    Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillor for the South Bank Ward Sue Jeffrey says the local community is "still trying to process" the tragic deaths.

    She tells BBC Radio Tees people are still "numb with the shock of what's gone on".

    A silent prayer vigil will be held at the church of St John the Evangelist in South Bank this afternoon.

    Parish priest, Father Malcolm Lockey, will say prayers at the start of each hour and be on hand for those who need personal prayer and support.

    Jeffrey said: "People will be feeling really, really upset by what's happened.

    Sue Jeffrey is looking at the camera with a slightly sad expression on her face. She has mid-length white hair and is wearing a pale coat and blue scarf. There is an emergency vehicle and worker on the road behind her. Plus a collection of floral tributes under the traffic lights on the right.BBC / Louise Hobson

    South Bank councillor Sue Jeffrey said people were still "really, really" upset

  8. Tributes to two Cleveland Police officers after crash on A66 near Middlesbrough

    Jamie Whitehead
    Live editor

    Tributes have been made to two police officers who were killed following a car crash on the A66, near Middlesbrough on Saturday. Five other people, who were travelling in a Volkswagen Passat the wrong way along the road, also died.

    Yesterday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the crash happened after the Passat had been involved in a police chase which ended shortly before it collided with the marked police vehicle carrying PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades.

    Clough and Blades were not involved in the pursuit but were in the area to assist in a search for the Passat, the IOPC said on Sunday.

    The families of the two officers have paid tribute to them, describing Clough as a "hero" and Blades as a "devoted father".

    Cleveland Police named the five in the Passat as Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Michael Robert Cahill, 23.

    Stay with us for further updates.