Key Points
- The names of the two Cleveland Police officers killed in the A66 crash at South Bank, close to Middlesbrough, have been revealed as PC Matthew Blades, aged 37, and PC Tom Clough, aged 38.
- There were seven fatalities in the accident which occurred at around 3.39 am on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
- According to Cleveland Police, the police officers were travelling in a marked police vehicle while five members of the public were in a Volkswagen Passat.
- Cleveland Police stated that the Volkswagen Passat was driving in the wrong direction on the A66 when it crashed with the police vehicle.
- Independent Office for Police Conduct has commenced its independent inquiry following a mandatory referral made by Cleveland Police.
- IOPC revealed that Cleveland Police officers spotted a suspicious car and a chase ensued before the accident occurred.
- The A66 was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston while drivers were advised to seek alternative routes.
- Victoria Fuller, Cleveland Police Chief Constable said that it is an “incredibly sad day for Cleveland.”
Liverpool Crime (Liverpool standard) August 22, 2026 — Two Cleveland Police officers, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, have been named after a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in which seven people died.
Cleveland Police confirmed that the crash took place at about 3.39am on Saturday in South Bank. The collision involved a marked police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat. Two serving officers in the police vehicle and five members of the public travelling in the Passat were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the Volkswagen Passat was travelling in the wrong direction along the A66 before colliding with the marked police vehicle, which was travelling in the correct direction. The identities of the five other people who died have not been released in the information publicly available at the time of reporting.
The collision happened on a section of the A66 in South Bank, close to Middlesbrough and the Teesworks area. Emergency services attended the scene, while police imposed road closures and established a cordon around the affected stretch of road.
The A66 was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston. Cleveland Police advised members of the public to use alternative routes while emergency work and the investigation continued.
Who were PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough?
Cleveland Police identified the officers who died as PC Matthew Blades, aged 37, and PC Tom Clough, aged 38. The force’s Chief Constable Victoria Fuller named the officers following the crash and said the loss had been felt across the force and its communities.
As reported by PA Wire in coverage carried by the Evening Standard, Chief Constable Fuller said:
“This is an incredibly sad day for Cleveland.”
She added:
“These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift.”
The officers were on duty in a marked Cleveland Police vehicle when the crash occurred. Police have not publicly released further information about their service histories, families or operational roles, and their next of kin are being supported.
Sky News also reported that the two officers killed in the collision had been named as PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.
What has the IOPC said about the police pursuit?
The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal road traffic collision after a pursuit involving Cleveland Police officers.
According to the IOPC, Cleveland Police officers sighted what the watchdog described as a suspicious vehicle before a pursuit began. The vehicle then travelled onto the A66 in South Bank, where it collided with a police car at 3.39am.
The IOPC said Cleveland Police made a mandatory referral to the watchdog following the deaths. It declared an independent investigation at 6.03am on Saturday, August 22.
IOPC Director of Investigations Nicola Marfleet said:
“This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with family and friends and all those affected, including the emergency services in attendance.”
She added that the inquiry was in its early stages and that investigators had been sent to post-incident procedures to begin reviewing evidence. The IOPC said Cleveland Police was cooperating with its enquiries.
The watchdog has not announced any findings about the actions of individual officers, the driver of the Passat, or the factors that caused the collision. Its investigation is intended to establish and examine the circumstances of what happened following police contact.
What reactions have followed the South Bank collision?
Chief Constable Fuller’s statement was followed by tributes from political representatives, police colleagues and local councillors.
As reported by PA Wire in the Evening Standard, Redcar MP Anna Turley said the two officers “went to work to keep people safe and they should have come home to their families”.
She added: “Their loss will be felt deeply by their loved ones, fellow officers and right across the communities they served.”
Eston ward councillors David Taylor and Stephen Martin said they were “deeply saddened” by what they described as an “unimaginable tragedy”, according to the PA Wire report.
Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.”
She added:
“Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not. And that is just unfathomable.”
Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” to hear of the crash, according to PA Wire coverage carried by the Evening Standard.
Police also appealed for the public not to speculate as the inquiry develops. In its initial statement, Cleveland Police said it was working to identify victims and contact their families, while significant emergency resources remained at the scene.
What is the background to the A66 collision?
The A66 is a major road serving Teesside and surrounding areas, with the closed section in South Bank located near industrial premises and the Teesworks site. The crash occurred during the early hours of Saturday, when traffic levels would generally be lower than during the daytime, but the impact required a major emergency response and a full closure of the carriageway.
The collision is being examined through two separate but connected processes. Cleveland Police is investigating the road traffic collision, including the circumstances in which the Volkswagen Passat and the marked police vehicle came into contact. The IOPC is independently investigating the events leading to the crash because the incident followed police contact and a reported pursuit.
A mandatory referral to the IOPC does not itself indicate wrongdoing by an officer. It is a required process when somebody dies or suffers serious injury following police contact. The watchdog’s role is to gather evidence and determine the circumstances before reaching any findings.
How could the A66 crash investigation affect Teesside residents and road users?
The immediate effect for Teesside residents and A66 users is likely to be continued disruption around South Bank and Eston while collision investigators complete work at the scene. Drivers may need to follow official diversion routes and allow additional time for journeys until Cleveland Police confirms the road has reopened.
For the families of those who died, the next stage is likely to involve formal identification processes, support from specialist officers and further updates from the relevant authorities. Cleveland Police has said it is working to identify victims and contact relatives.
For Cleveland Police staff and the wider policing community, the deaths of PC Blades and PC Clough are expected to lead to welfare support and formal tributes. Any conclusions about the pursuit, road conditions, vehicle movements or police decision-making will depend on evidence reviewed by the IOPC and police investigators, rather than early reports or public speculation.
