Tributes paid to two Cleveland police officers killed in A66 crash
Tributes paid to two Cleveland police officers killed in A66 crash; five others also died.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Tributes have been paid to two Cleveland police officers who died in a road accident last Saturday. PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough were killed in a two-vehicle crash on the A66 in Middlesbrough, which also claimed the lives of five other people. The collision happened during a police chase.
Before this afternoon's match between Middlesbrough and West Bromwich Albion at the Riverside Stadium, supporters from both teams joined in a round of applause for the two officers. Middlesbrough Football Club had asked fans to take a moment to pay their respects.
Later, the officers were remembered at Seaton Carew Football Club, where the team faced FC Hartlepool. PC Blades had links to both clubs. Two coaches from the club paid tribute, describing him as a 'brilliant bloke, brilliant dad, brilliant coach' who 'cared for everybody'. One coach said: 'The way that he died and being on duty, I think, has almost matched what he, you know, given himself to something else again, I think, and that, for me, is who he was.' Another added: 'I know part of his job in the police is always going to be some risk, but it should never come to the point where a family's lost a husband, a dad. It's just so unfair, just shouldn't happen.'
The deaths have highlighted the risks that police officers take in the course of their duty. The families of the two officers are among those left to bear the consequences of their sacrifice.
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 | Channel 5 | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|
| Football players and fans paid tribute to two police officers who died in a road accident in Cleveland. | |||
| A crash occurred on the A66 in Middlesbrough last weekend. | · | · | |
| PC Blades had links to both Middlesbrough and Seaton Carew football clubs. | · | · | |
| Seven people died in the collision, including the two officers. | · | · | |
| The officers were identified as Matthew Blades and Tom Clough. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
5 News Weekend gave a brief, factual mention of the tribute, noting that football players and fans paid tribute to the two officers, but provided no further details about the crash or the officers themselves.
- “Football players and fans have paid tribute to the two police officers killed in last Saturday's road accident in Cleveland.”
ITV1 focused on the tribute at Middlesbrough Football Club, naming the two officers and noting that they were among seven people who died in the two-vehicle crash. The report was concise and factual, with no additional context about the crash or the officers' lives.
- “There was a touching tribute at Middlesbrough Football Club today, as supporters paid tribute to the two police officers killed in last Saturday's two-vehicle crash.”
- “The Cleveland officers were among seven to lose their life in the collision.”
Sky News provided the most comprehensive coverage, including the context of the A66 crash and the police chase, the tributes at two football clubs, and emotional comments from coaches. The report also included discussion about the personal impact on the officers' families and the broader risks faced by police officers.
- “Brilliant bloke, brilliant dad, brilliant coach, just cared for everybody.”
- “I know part of his job in the police is always going to be some risk, but it should never come to the point where a family's lost a husband, a dad. It's just so unfair, just shouldn't happen.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.