Football fans pay moving tribute to two officers killed in A66 crash

Tributes have been paid by football supporters to two Cleveland Police constables killed in a head-on collision on the A66, as officers maintain their investigation into a spate of local incidents.

Ahead of Middlesbrough FC’s 12.30pm home fixture against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, fans joined in applause for Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38.

Both constables lost their lives last weekend when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way crashed into them on the A66 at South Bank.

Images of the officers were displayed across screens at the Riverside Stadium while players and spectators united in applause.

The King has also sent letters to their families to express his condolences, according to a report by the Mirror.

Middlesbrough FC said in a statement: ““The commitment shown by officers and staff, often in challenging and demanding circumstances, plays a vital role in keeping residents safe and helping people feel secure in their homes, neighbourhoods and local areas.”

Cole Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; and 23-year-olds Michael Cahill and Jakub Matusiak were also killed in the crash.

Cleveland Police said its officers have been tackling alleged organised crime in the wake of the crash and, on Friday night, said some 24 people had been arrested in the crackdown.

Officers said four men, aged 35, 25, 40 and 21, were being held on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after a vehicle crashed into a house in Steele Crescent, Middlesbrough, on Thursday morning.

They were also being questioned over alleged arson after a caravan was set alight in Atlee Road on Wednesday morning, and a drugs offence.

The force said the men were in a vehicle when they were stopped by police on Kingsley Road in Grangetown on Thursday night.

Earlier on Friday, detectives confirmed they were not linking a house fire which killed a seven-year-old girl and her aunt to the A66 crash.

Natalie McDonald, 34, and her niece, Valentina Foster, died while four other people were injured in the blaze on Wednesday morning – with two men, aged 23 and 31, still in custody on suspicion of murder.

Hundreds of extra police officers have been drafted in to support officers after the series of recent incidents in the Middlesbrough and County Durham area.