Tributes paid to police officers killed in wrong-way crash near Middlesbrough
Families pay tribute to two police officers killed in a wrong-way crash near Middlesbrough, as an investigation continues and public donations pass £345,000.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two police officers who were killed in a wrong-way crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough have been remembered by their families as heroes. PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades died in the early hours of Saturday morning when their marked armed response vehicle was hit by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way down the dual carriageway. The five young men in the Passat also died.
The Passat had been fitted with cloned number plates, which alerted police. Officers pursued the car for about seven minutes through residential streets of Middlesbrough before the chase was called off as the Passat joined the A66 in the wrong direction. Ten seconds later it collided with the police vehicle. The officers were on the correct side of the road.
PC Clough's family said he was "our hero" with a fantastic sense of humour, and that he had served his country as a soldier. PC Blades' wife described him as her "beloved husband" and "the most devoted father" to their two young sons, adding that he gave his life in the line of duty.
The five men in the Passat were named as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Ray, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating. It has said the Passat had cloned plates and that police had received reports about incidents involving the car. Investigators will examine police radio recordings, CCTV and social media accounts. The BBC has reported on a TikTok video believed to show one of the deceased, Makai Saddington, in a car being pursued by police. The video appears to show the car driving illegally on footpaths and across parkland.
The crash comes a week after five teenagers died in a similar wrong-way crash in Ireland. There has been concern about a TikTok trend of driving the wrong way. The Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner has urged people not to share rumours or speculate. The Prime Minister has also urged people not to speculate on social media. Ministers have called on social media companies to take down content that celebrates dangerous driving.
Public donations to support the officers' families have passed £345,000. A silent prayer vigil is planned for 4pm. Part of the A66 has been reopened. Tributes have been left at the scene.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police called off the pursuit ten seconds before the crash. | |||
| Two officers were killed when a car with cloned plates travelled the wrong way down the A66 after a seven-minute pursuit. | |||
| An online appeal for the officers' families raised over £200,000 in less than 12 hours. | · | ||
| The Passat was believed to be using cloned number plates. | · | ||
| A silent prayer vigil is planned for 4pm. | · | · | |
| A TikTok video believed to be Saddington's showed a car being pursued by police. | · | · | |
| Part of the A66 has been reopened. | · | · | |
| Police had received reports about incidents involving the car. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This evening wrap programme leads with the emotional impact of the crash, pairing the report with a panel discussion on the need to avoid speculation. It stresses the devastation for all seven families and the importance of letting investigators work without misinformation.
- “The families of two police officers killed in a head-on collision near Middlesbrough have tonight paid tribute”
- “Social media can be really dangerous in a situation like this because misinformation spreads so quickly”
- “It's devastating to think of these, you know, seven lives cut short”
ITV News focuses on the practical aftermath: the rapid fundraising appeal, the naming of the five young men, and the police commissioner's call to support officers. It also highlights the Prime Minister's plea against speculation, giving a straightforward news bulletin with a human interest edge.
- “The wife of PC Matthew Blades said the pain of losing him is beyond words”
- “You just don't want people to go out to work and not come back.”
- “What we've really got to do is make sure Cleveland Police officers have got the morale up”
BBC News takes a more investigative angle, reporting on a TikTok video believed to show one of the deceased being pursued by police. It also details the IOPC's findings and the timeline of the pursuit, giving extra context on the social media trend and the police's actions.
- “Loved beyond words, his family said.”
- “He gave his life protecting and serving others.”
- “A video posted last year on what is believed to be Mackay Saddington's TikTok account appears to show a group of young men in a car being pursued by police.”
This morning programme leads with the public donations and tributes, using the same report as the evening wrap but framing it for a morning audience. It highlights the community's response and the ongoing investigation, with a brief mention of the weather after the segment.
- “The family of two police officers killed in a head-on collision in Middlesbrough have paid tribute to them as more than 200,000 pounds has been donated by the public to support their relatives”
- “No one deserves not come home”
This programme provides live updates from the scene, including the reopening of part of the A66, the rising fundraising total, and the planned vigil. It also includes an interview with a defence minister urging social media companies to remove dangerous content, giving the story a wider policy angle.
- “We now know the figure is more than £345,000 and that will continue to climb today.”
- “There is content on social media today that celebrates that type of appalling driving, dangerous driving that puts people's lives at risk.”
- “Part of it may see the social media accounts of the five young men involved in the accident potentially looked at.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.