'Pain of losing him is beyond words': Families of two police officers killed in crash pay tribute
Two police officers were killed in a collision after a vehicle they were pursuing drove the wrong way down a dual carriageway near Middlesbrough. All five occupants of the suspect vehicle also died in the crash, prompting an outpouring of tributes for the officers.
Why it matters
This tragic event highlights the extreme risks faced by law enforcement during high-speed pursuits and has sparked a significant public response regarding police safety.
Image source, Cleveland Police Image caption, PC Matthew Blades (left) and PC Tom Clough were killed in a crash near Middlesbrough on Saturday
Two police officers who died when a car travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway crashed into their vehicle have been hailed as heroes by their families.
PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing until seconds before , collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday.
The Passat's occupants Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17, also died.
In tributes released by Cleveland Police, PC Clough's family said he was "willing to help anyone", while PC Blades' wife described him as "loved beyond words".
LIVE: Tribute paid to 'hero' police officer among seven killed in wrong-way crash
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