Football fans and players across Teesside have honoured two Cleveland Police officers who lost their lives in a tragic road crash.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, when their marked police vehicle collided head-on with a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction on the A66 at South Bank, near Middlesbrough.
Five occupants of the Passat also died in the crash, bringing the total number of fatalities to seven. Cleveland Police confirmed that all those involved were pronounced dead at the scene.
The tragedy sparked an outpouring of grief across the local community, with football supporters joining colleagues, friends and families in remembering the two officers.
A minute’s applause was held before Middlesbrough’s Championship fixture against West Bromwich Albion at the Riverside Stadium, as supporters and players paid tribute to Blades and Clough.
Images of the two officers were displayed on the stadium’s big screen while fans stood together to honour their memory.
Cleveland Police described the officers as brave men who were serving and protecting their community when they lost their lives.
The force has referred the circumstances of the collision to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), while investigations into the events leading up to the crash continue.
The families of both officers have also released tributes, describing their loss as devastating and remembering them for their dedication, love and commitment to their families and communities.
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