Police officers killed in wrong-way crash mourned in ‘unimaginable loss’

Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the crash happened, said the 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.”

David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”.

Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen called the case “a horrible and tragic incident” in a statement on Facebook.

“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”

Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said the loss of the officers was “unfathomable”, adding: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.”

When someone dies following police contact, it is mandatory for the case to be referred to the IOPC, which is now investigating.

The watchdog said on Saturday that “at this early stage, we understand Cleveland Police sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began.”

Security footage from a house on Lime Road in Middlesbrough appears to show a car being pursued by police vehicles three minutes before the crash.

The BBC understands the pursuit ended prior to the crash, and the police vehicle occupied by PC Blades and PC Clough just happened to be in the area at the time.