Middlesbrough on lockdown for A66 crash funeral: Headteachers accused of ‘giving in to thugs’ as schools close early over concerns of violence and clashes with police

Four schools in Middlesbrough closing early before the funeral of one of the men killed in the A66 crash have been accused of giving in to ‘thugs’.

The schools will send children home at lunchtime in a decision the Shadow Education Secretary said was ‘wrong’.

Laura Trott, who retained her brief in Kemi Badenoch‘s Conservative frontbench reshuffle, said the Government should ensure ‘criminal gangs don’t get their way’.

Two police officers and five young men were killed on August 22 when a Volkswagen Passat, which had been chased by police, hit a marked armed response car while driving the wrong way down the A66 dual carriageway.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the crash, as did Jakub Matusiak, 23, Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23.

Four of the young men in the vehicle had criminal convictions, including for assaulting a police officer and vehicle offences.

It is understood today’s funeral is Matusiak’s, with crowds, motorbikes and quad bikes expected to gather in Normanby Road in the South Bank area of the town.

The service is due to be held at the St John the Evangelist Church in South Bank – where a silent prayer vigil was also held for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough last month.

A memorial for Matusiak last month in South Bank, Middlesbrough, saw flares burned and balloons released

PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades were killed in the A66 crash

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At a ‘memorial’ for Matusiak last month, close to the crash site in South Bank, orange balloons were released, fireworks set off and balaclava-clad bikers intimidated residents.

South Bank primary school will close at 12pm ‘to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our pupils,’ it said.

Headteacher Tammy Cooper said in a Facebook statement that the school expected ‘large numbers of people in the area which will inevitably cause congestion and transport disruption’.

She said: ‘This decision has been reached after careful consideration of the potential impact on the departure of pupils, staff and families.

‘We recognise the inconvenience this may cause and thank our families for their understanding and co-operation.’

Ms Cooper said the school also recognises ‘some pupils may feel upset or anxious about the funeral taking place locally’ and the pastoral team would be available for support.

And Mark Robinson, head of Outwood academy in Normanby, said in a letter to parents that his school would also close at midday after discussions with the council.

Archway Academy Teesville and St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School will also close early. Mackenzie Thorpe Centre will be closed all day.

Last week a vigil for Cahill was criticised by MPs and police after a crowd set fire to cars in Haswell, County Durham.

A ‘memorial’ for Michael Cahill, who was also killed in the crash, led to cars being set alight in Haswell, County Durham

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said: ‘Following discussions between local headteachers and the local authority, a number of schools in the South Bank area will close earlier than usual on Friday afternoon due to anticipated traffic congestion and transport disruption associated with a local funeral taking place in the area.

‘The decision was made after careful consideration of the potential impact on home-to-school transport and the departure of pupils, staff and families at the end of the school day.

‘Schools have worked with the local authority and transport providers to consider arrangements for pupils, including those who travel to and from specialist educational settings.

‘We recognise that early closure may cause inconvenience for some parents and carers, and we thank them for their understanding and co-operation.’

But Ms Trott urged Education Secretary Lucy Powell to intervene, telling the Labour minister she had a ‘duty to ensure that this does not impact on the honest and decent pupils, parents and teachers in the area’.

She added: ‘Children should not be kept out of school because of the behaviour of thugs on the streets.’

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott said schools closing early meant giving in to ‘thugs’

She said the Education Secretary Lucy Powell should ensure officers had the resources needed to keep schools open

‘If schools are closing because of concerns about disorder, intimidation or criminality in the surrounding area, then those responsible should be held to account by law.’

‘Intimidation must never be tolerated. No child should lose out on their education because criminal gangs have brought fear and lawlessness to their community.’

The Education Secretary responded saying she trusted headteachers to ‘make judgments that they need to make to keep their school community safe’.

Lucy Powell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘As Education Secretary, I want schools to be open. I want pupils attending schools all the time.

‘And these headteachers of these small number of schools have taken a very difficult decision with the local authority and the police for the safety of their school community to close early.

‘What I would say is that there are huge anxieties and worries in the communities.’

She added: ‘I trust headteachers to make the judgments that they need to make to keep their school community safe. I hope this doesn’t have to happen again.’

And Ms Powell said it was not a time for ‘party political point scoring’.

‘This is a very, very difficult and delicate situation, as you say, and I will always put the safety and wellbeing of children at the forefront of anything I do,’ she said.