Police Chief Says A66 Crash Was the “Worst Day of My 27-Year Career”

Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller has described the fatal A66 crash near Middlesbrough as the “worst day” of her 27-year policing career after seven people, including two police officers, were killed in the collision.

Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, died when their marked Cleveland Police patrol car collided with a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction along the A66 near South Bank, Middlesbrough, in the early hours of August 22.

Five young men travelling in the Passat also died in the devastating collision. They were named as Michael Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and Theo Rae and Cole Worthy, both 17.

Fuller said she was “really, really proud” of Blades and Clough, describing them as brave, committed and professional officers who put the public before themselves.

Speaking about the tragedy, Fuller said the call informing her about the collision on August 22 was the most difficult moment of her long career in policing.

She said she was asleep when the duty commander contacted her with the news. Despite the shock and grief, she said the force immediately moved into action to respond to the incident and support those affected.

“My heart goes out to their families,” Fuller said, acknowledging that her own grief could not compare with that of the families of the two officers.

She also recognised the impact on colleagues who had worked closely with Blades and Clough and were continuing to process what had happened.

Fuller described both officers as experienced members of Cleveland Police who had taken on significant responsibilities to protect the communities they served.

She said they had volunteered to undertake firearms training and accepted the responsibility that came with the role.

The chief constable said their work involved taking risks to protect members of the public, but on this occasion neither officer returned home.

Fuller said she had seen Blades only days before the collision during a visit to his base, making the loss particularly difficult for colleagues across the force.

The collision occurred after the Volkswagen Passat had been pursued by police for almost seven minutes following an earlier incident involving alleged criminal activity.

The pursuit was abandoned shortly before the fatal collision after the Passat turned the wrong way onto the dual carriageway.

The marked police car and the Passat then collided, killing all seven people involved.

The circumstances surrounding the pursuit and the collision remain the subject of investigation.

The tragedy has also placed further pressure on Cleveland Police, which has been dealing with wider concerns about serious crime, disorder and staffing levels.

Following the crash, police operations in the Middlesbrough area were significantly expanded. At least 730 officers were drafted in from other forces to provide additional support.

Schools in the area also closed early ahead of a funeral because of safety concerns, while police dealt with disorder and other incidents linked to the aftermath of the crash.

Around 27 people have been arrested as part of a wider policing operation connected with organised crime in the area.

Fuller said her officers were doing the “very best with what we’ve got”, but warned that the force needed more resources to meet the demands placed upon it.

Fuller has repeatedly raised concerns about Cleveland Police funding and officer numbers.

She said the force deals with crime levels comparable to those experienced by larger metropolitan police forces despite having considerably fewer officers.

Cleveland Police covers Middlesbrough, Redcar and Stockton-on-Tees and is one of the UK's smallest police forces.

Fuller said the force would need around 270 additional officers to return to pre-austerity staffing levels.

She also said Cleveland Police had experienced the largest reduction in officer numbers since 2010 and argued that its current staffing model was no longer appropriate for the communities it serves.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced an additional £2 million for Cleveland Police to help tackle serious crime following incidents in the area.

Fuller welcomed the support but stressed that the force needed sustained investment rather than short-term funding.

“I need that all the time,” she said when discussing the additional resources.

The Home Office said Cleveland Police had delivered a robust response in difficult circumstances and confirmed that the force would receive up to £197.8 million in funding during the 2026/27 financial year.

That represents a 3.7% cash increase, according to the Home Office.

Despite the pressures facing Cleveland Police, Fuller praised the officers and staff who continued working following the A66 tragedy.

She described her workforce as committed and selfless and said officers had shown determination during one of the most difficult periods in the force's recent history.

Fuller also thanked members of the public who had supported Cleveland Police and the families affected by the crash.

For the force, the A66 collision has left two experienced officers dead and seven families grieving, while raising renewed questions about the resources available to police the communities around Middlesbrough.