Fundraiser for police officers killed in wrong-way pursuit crash on A66 hits £1 million
A fundraiser for the families of the two police officers who tragically died when a car ploughed into them during a pursuit has reached £1 million.
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, of Cleveland Police both died when a car on the wrong side on a dual carriageway crashed into their vehicle on the A66 in Middlesbrough.
A Volkswagen Passat being pursued by police hit their response vehicle seconds after the chase was terminated in Teesside on Saturday morning (22 August).
Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and 23-year-olds Michael Robert Cahill and Jacob Matusiak, travelling in the Passat, were also all pronounced dead at the scene.
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The two officers were not directly involved in the original pursuit, but had been called to the area to assist with the search for the car which had been using cloned plates, police said.
Cleveland Police said an armed response vehicle pursued the Passat for just under seven minutes before the car drove on to the A66 in South Bank against the flow of traffic.
Officers aborted the chase and continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway until the Passat crashed into Pc Blades and Pc Clough’s vehicle around 10 seconds after it ceased.
A GoFundMe set up for the families, shared by the Cleveland Police Federation, has a target of £1.2 million. The funds will be split between the two families in the wake of the tragedy.
It has now neared its target within a matter of days, reaching a milestone of £1 million from more than 36,000 donations from members of the public.
The page reads: "PC Matt Blades and PC Tom Clough were both dedicated and committed Police Officers who left their families and went to work to serve their community and protect the public.
"Tragedy struck these two brave Cleveland Police colleagues in the early hours of 22nd August 2026 - and they paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
"They did not return home to their families. They leave behind heartbroken loved ones who will struggle to come to terms with the loss of their loved one.
"Cleveland Police Federation are supporting and will continue to support the families of Matt and Tom at this unfathomable moment.
"We are asking for help to support the families of our two colleagues, to assist them in any way as they try to navigate this traumatic time."
Tributes paid to officers following tragic death
After the tragedy, the families of the two officers issued tributes of their own, as other police forces from the UK also remembered them in moving statements.
Pc Clough’s family said: “He was our hero with a fantastic sense of humour. Jumped into action whenever needed, and willing to help anyone for any reason.
“Proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place. Always on public duty throughout his short life.
“We as a family and Tom’s partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences from friends, colleagues and the wider community.”
His colleague Pc Blades had become a Seaton Carew FC coach, as the football club said he had preparing to coach his own son in the coming season.
His wife said he was 'the most devoted father' and was 'adored' as a son, brother, son-in-law and uncle.
“No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt — my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys,” she said in a tribute on Sunday.
“The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same. Neither will the love he gave us ever fade.”
Investigation ongoing as arrests made
Cleveland Police said on the morning of the crash (22 August), officers had 'received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.'
The first vehicle, a Volvo XC60, was witnessed to be ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo XC60, and was later involved in the collision.
Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were picked up by the number plate recognition technology, Cleveland Police said.
Following enquiries, nine men and three women, aged between 19 and 61 have been arrested over various offences.
Assistant Chief Constable Wayne Fox, responsible for the strategic leadership of the investigation, said: "This has been a fast moving and complex investigation, with significant links to serious and organised criminal activity.
“The events of that tragic night will have a lasting and profound impact on the Cleveland area and the communities we seek to protect.
"We have a duty to respond to, and thoroughly investigate, the serious criminal activity that resulted in this fatal incident, and to bring all those responsible to justice.
“Our robust response will continue in the weeks and months to come, as we continue to tackle those that seek to cause harm to our communities and tackle serious and organised crime."
Topics: UK News
James Holt