Katie Williams
Live reporter

The families of two officers killed in Saturday's crash near Middlesbrough have paid tribute to "our hero" PC Tom Clough and "devoted father" PC Matthew Blades.

The officers were killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66 collided with their police vehicle on Saturday.

The crash also killed five people in the Passat, who police have named as Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Michael Robert Cahill, 23.

The police watchdog says the Passat was involved in a police chase before the collision, with officers abandoning the pursuit when the car travelled onto the A66 in the wrong direction.

Clough and Blades were not involved in the pursuit but were "in the area to assist in a search for the Passat", the watchdog adds.

A TikTok video, published last year and since deleted, appears to show one of the teenagers previously involved in another police chase in Middlesbrough.

We're wrapping up our live coverage for today, you can read more in our news story here.

A fundraiser set up by Cleveland Police Federation in memory of the two officers killed has already raised over £120,000, and has amassed nearly 5,000 donations.

Organisers say the funds will be split equally between the two families to support them "in any way as they try to navigate this traumatic time".

An initial target of £7,000 was set by the fundraising site this morning, and has since been raised six times to the current target of £200,000.

On Saturday, we brought you security camera footage that appears to show several police vehicles chasing a car moments before the fatal collision.

The clip is thought to have been filmed on Lime Road in Middlesbrough at 03:36 BST.

About three minutes later, a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way on the nearby A66 collided with a marked police vehicle.

PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough died in the crash, along with the five occupants of the Passat.

TikTok video appears to show killed teen in previous police chasepublished at 20:40 BST 23 August

20:40 BST 23 August

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 to 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.

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

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.

Image source, Cleveland Police

PC Matthew Blades' wife says the pain of losing him is "beyond words", and that the family's lives "will never be the same".

"No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt - my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys," she says in a statement issued through Cleveland Police.

She describes him as "an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle" who was "loved beyond words".

"He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness," she adds.

She expresses "our deepest gratitude and heartfelt thanks" to the police and emergency services.

The statement is signed off: "Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our superhero."

It follows an earlier statement from PC Tom Clough's family - the other officer killed in Saturday's collision.

A local couple at the cordon says the "absolutely awful" crash will "affect our whole community".

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

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

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

Vincent says 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 yesterday.

Leisa Smith, a ward councillor for Seaton, has also paid tribute to the two police officers who died.

As we reported earlier, Matthew Blades was an under-seven coach at Seaton Carew FC.

Smith says he "was looking forward to coaching his own son as part of the club’s new Under 7s team".

"That connection makes an already devastating tragedy feel even closer to home for our community," she says.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Matty and Tom’s families, friends and colleagues, everyone at Cleveland Police and Seaton Carew FC, and of course the families and loved ones of all those who tragically lost their lives."

We reported earlier that Seaton Carew FC had paid tribute to Matthew Blades, one of its under-7 coaches and one of two police officers killed in the A66 crash.

Another football club, FC Hartlepool, has also released a statement, saying it has lost "a much-loved member" of its football family.

FC Hartlepool says Matthew Blades was coach of its under-10 Reds team.

"He was a role model, a mentor, a friend, and someone the children looked up to and admired," it says.

"His kindness, patience, and infectious personality made him loved by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

"The U10 Reds have lost a coach, but our club has lost a truly special person and a valued member of the FC Hartlepool family," the statement says.

Here's the latest from our reporter Philippa Goymer, who is at the scene in Middlesbrough:

Guisborough Rugby Club says it is "saddened by the tragic loss of PC Matthew Blades & PC Tom Clough".

The club says Blades was part of its mini and junior section, and that his family is still involved in the rugby community.

"At this difficult time, we stand with the families & our wider community as we remember two men who dedicated their lives to protecting others."

Image source, Cleveland Police

PC Tom Clough's family describes him as "our hero with a fantastic [sense] of humour", in a statement just issued by Cleveland Police.

He was someone who "jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason", the family statement says.

It adds that Clough: "Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life.

"We as a family and Tom's partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community."

A tribute to PC Matthew Blades will be available at a later time, Cleveland Police says.

Philippa Goymer
BBC North East and Cumbria, reporting from Middlesbrough

A group of officers have walked up to the police cordon on Eston Road and laid floral tributes.

They walked silently to the end of the cordon and stood together as they placed bunches of flowers.

Some removed their hats and bowed their heads and took a brief moment of silence to remember their colleagues PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

They spoke briefly to other officers at the scene before leaving.

Some hugged each other in comfort as they walked away.

Part of the A66 will remain closed overnight while repairs are carried out on the carriageway.

In an update shared online, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council says a diversion will continue until Monday.

The affected stretch is between Eston Road and Normanby Road - by the Asda traffic lights.

Image source, PA Media

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), often referred to as the police watchdog, is the body responsible for investigating police conduct in England and Wales.

As an independent body, the IOPC says its decisions are "made entirely independently of the police and government".

It previously stated the investigation into the fatal A66 crash was launched following a self-referral from Cleveland Police, which is mandatory "when someone dies following police contact".

In an update on Sunday afternoon, the IOPC said that the police pursuit of the Volkswagen involved in the crash was aborted about 10 seconds before the collision.

Its director of engagement, Derrick Campbell, says investigators have so far obtained "initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident".

“IOPC investigators will continue to review and analyse all the evidence that is available to us," he adds.

Some new details have emerged following an update from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), issued a short while ago.

Here's what the IOPC said:

• Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding "numerous incidents" linked to a VW Passat. It was later spotted and a pursuit began
• The pursuit lasted "just under seven minutes" - officers aborted it when the Passat travelled onto the A66 in the wrong direction
• The Passat collided with another police vehicle "approximately 10 seconds later"
• The police vehicle in the collision was not involved in the pursuit - it was in the area "to assist in a search for the Passat believed to be using cloned plates"

"We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident. Work is ongoing to obtain additional material," says IOPC spokesperson Derrick Campbell.

We can now bring you some more pictures from the scene of the fatal crash.

Blue balloons tied to a road sign appear to have been left for 23-year-old Michael Robert Cahill, one of the people killed in the Passat.

One reads: "I love you Michael." Another says: "Forever 23."

An envelope on top of floral tributes is addressed to "Theo", presumed to be 17-year-old Theo Ray.

As we reported earlier, tributes have also been laid at the scene for the two police officers killed.

Image source, PA Media

We can now bring you images of the teens and young men who were killed in Saturday's early morning collision.

Pictured left to right above, they are Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17.

Two officers in the police car, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, were also killed.

As we've just reported, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has just issued an update saying it has "verified some of the circumstances in the lead up to the collision".

Here's the IOPC update in full:

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the fatal road traffic collision in Middlesbrough following a pursuit involving Cleveland Police officers has now verified some of the circumstances in the lead up to the collision.

Following a mandatory referral from the force, we declared an independent investigation yesterday morning and IOPC investigators were sent to the scene and the post incident procedure to begin reviewing evidence.

Our initial enquiries have established Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding numerous incidents that were linked to a Volkswagen Passat. The Passat, which contained five male occupants, was later sighted and an armed response vehicle began a pursuit of the vehicle.

Analysis of the police vehicle in car footage shows the pursuit lasted just under seven minutes before the Passat travelled onto the A66 in South Bank, against the flow of traffic, at which point the pursuit was aborted by officers and they continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway.

A short time after the pursuit ended, approximately 10 seconds later, the Passat collided with another police vehicle which was not involved in the pursuit but in the area to assist in a search for the Passat believed to be using cloned plates that had activated an ANPR camera.

It has been confirmed that following the collision at 3.39am, seven people sadly died. As reported yesterday, they included two Cleveland Police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

We can also confirm the five occupants in the Passat who died were Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jacob Matusiak and Makai Saddington.

IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends and all those affected by yesterday’s collision., We recognise the devastating impact the incident has had on those in the force, and the wider policing community, and offer our condolences.

“We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident. Work is ongoing to obtain additional material.

“IOPC investigators will continue to review and analyse all the evidence that is available to us. We will not be providing any further comment at this time.”

A police pursuit of the Volkswagen Passat involved in the fatal crash ended about 10 seconds before the collision that killed seven people, says the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Releasing its initial findings, the IOPC says the police pursuit of the Volkswagen Passat lasted seven minutes before the Passat entered the A66 "against the flow of traffic".

At this point it says the "pursuit was aborted by officers and they continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway".