A funeral service for PC Tom Clough is scheduled to take place on Thursday, marking the second burial for a police officer killed in a serious collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough. PC Clough, aged 38, died alongside his colleague PC Matthew Blades in the early hours of 22 August when their armed police vehicle was struck by a Volkswagen Passat traveling in the wrong direction.
The incident also claimed the lives of five young men inside the Passat: Michael Robert Cahill, Jakub Matusiak, Theo Rae, Makai Saddington, and Cole Robert Worthy. PC Blades’ funeral was held on Wednesday in Hartlepool, drawing hundreds of officers and community members.
Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville shared that Clough’s partner expressed deep gratitude for the public outpouring of support, stating it provided the family with significant strength. She highlighted that Clough was not only a dedicated officer but also a partner, brother, son, and devoted father to a sausage dog named Frank, whom he described as the love of his life.
According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the officers had been searching for the Passat after its cloned license plates triggered an automated number plate recognition camera, although they were not actively pursuing the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Somerville also revealed a touching anecdote about Clough’s humility, noting that he had once feared few people would attend his funeral—a notion she said he was entirely wrong about. A fundraising campaign organized by the Cleveland Police Federation has raised more than £1.2 million to assist the families of both fallen officers.
Leave a Reply