More than £1million has been raised for the families of the two police officers killed in the A66 crash.
After the deaths of PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough, Cleveland Police set up a GoFundMe site for the families of the two officers.
The force posted a tribute on the page, which 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.”
A separate appeal established by Pocket Sergeant has gathered an additional £48,000.
Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, and Cole Worthy, 17, were also killed in the crash.
Together, the five youths had 37 previous convictions between them, with only Mr Cahill not having a criminal record.
17 arrests have been made in relation to the crash in the days following the fatal collision.
On Monday, around 200 people descended on a field in South Bank, near Middlesborough, to pay tribute to deceased rider Matusiak.
The vigil saw masked youths race around the field on scooters and quad-bikes while other attendees lit orange flares, fireworks and released balloons.
Videos of the event – held shortly after 5pm just a stone’s throw from where the deadly collision took place – showed an array of vehicles revving their engines and honking their horns as orange flares and balloons filled the sky.
One woman in her 20s, who attended the vigil, insisted Matusiak was a “lovely, caring lad” and “not some scumbag who should just be written off and forgotten”.
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She told the Mail: “It was an accident that those police officers died, they weren’t trying to kill anyone and they lost their own lives but they’ve just been written off as if they don’t matter.
“The number of people who have come out for Jakub today should show you that they do matter, they were loved and they will be missed.”
Officers from Cleveland Police were present at the gathering, but maintained a low-profile presence.
Just down the road, locals packed into St John The Evangelist Church for a silent vigil paying tribute to the two PCs.
Among those in attendance was Anna Turley, the Labour MP for Redcar, who said: “The whole community here is reeling, and we’ve lost lives, particularly those lives of brave police officers who are out in action to keep us safe. It’s a tragic incident.”
Back on the field, one 58-year-old grandmother, who watched on as the youths wreaked havoc, looked at the police officers in attendance and told the Mail: “What must they be thinking right now?
“This is nothing but a mockery of the lives of those two policemen.
“I’ve watched them walking down there drinking and smoking weed and razzing about on their motorbikes. There’s nothing here to celebrate.”
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