Tribute at Riverside Stadium
Middlesbrough supporters and players held a minute's applause before the 12:30pm Championship fixture against West Bromwich Albion at Riverside Stadium, with pictures of the two Cleveland Police constables shown on the stadium screens. Middlesbrough FC said the tribute was intended to show appreciation for the dedication and hard work of both men, and of Cleveland Police, "in protecting and supporting our local community." West Bromwich Albion players joined in the silence, according to PA Media imagery from the ground.
The officers and the crash
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in a head-on collision between their police car and a Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong way on the A66 near Middlesbrough at South Bank in the early hours of 22 August. Five occupants of the Passat — Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17 — were also killed. Inquests into all seven deaths have opened, according to Cleveland Police.
Condolences from the King and earlier Hartlepool tribute
The King wrote to the families of PC Blades and PC Clough to express his condolences, according to the Mirror, as reported across Saturday's coverage. The previous evening, Hartlepool United held a two-minute silence before their home National League match against Eastleigh, with manager Mark Fletcher joining the tribute on the touchline.
Investigation and wider Cleveland policing operation
Cleveland Police said 24 people have now been arrested as part of a post-crash crackdown on alleged organized crime in the region, with 17 arrests earlier in the week. Detectives have separately confirmed that a house fire in Middlesbrough which killed a seven-year-old girl, Valentina Foster, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, is not being treated as linked to the A66 crash. Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke told BBC Radio 4's Today program that Cleveland Police had been "the hardest hit" force, with more than a 10% reduction in full-time equivalent officers while other areas have seen increases, arguing that funding "should follow need."
Fundraising support
A fundraiser for the two officers' families has passed £1 million, according to the Cleveland Police Federation, which has said the money will be split between the two families.
Next milestone
Cleveland Police has not announced a date for the next substantive update on the A66 investigation, and further arrests and charges remain under review; the force has received support from six local forces and the National Crime Agency.
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Sources
- bbc.co.uk - independent.co.uk - chroniclelive.co.uk - dailymail.com - standard.co.uk - mirror (referenced for King's letters) - Cleveland Police Federation (fundraiser total)
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