SCHOOLS SHUT EARLY AS MIDDLESBROUGH BRACES FOR A66 FUNERAL — CROWDS, MOTORBIKES AND TRAFFIC FEARS SPARK ALARM

Four schools in Middlesbrough are closing early as the community prepares for the funeral of 23-year-old Jakub Matusiak, one of seven people who lost their lives in the devastating A66 crash.

An entire area of Middlesbrough is preparing for an unusually tense Friday as large crowds are expected to gather for the funeral of Jakub Matusiak.

Four schools have announced early closures because authorities expect heavy congestion and major transport disruption around the funeral route.

The service for Matusiak, also known as Jacob, is due to take place at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road in South Bank.

Motorbikes and quad bikes are also expected to gather in the area, adding to concerns about traffic and the movement of pupils, staff and families.

FOUR SCHOOLS TO CLOSE

South Bank Primary School will close at 12pm, with headteacher Tammy Cooper saying the decision was made to protect pupils and staff and because large numbers of people are expected in the area.

The school also acknowledged that some children could feel upset or anxious about the funeral and said pastoral support would be available.

Outwood Academy Normanby will also close from midday.

Archway Academy Teesville is scheduled to close at 11:45am, while St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School is due to close at 12:15pm.

The Redcar and Cleveland council said the decision followed discussions between local headteachers, the authority and transport providers.

Officials said the closures were linked to anticipated congestion and disruption rather than being a routine school decision.

The Mackenzie Thorpe Centre will also close for the day, while arrangements have been considered for some pupils with special educational needs who normally travel from the South Bank area.

POLICE EXPECT TRAFFIC DISRUPTION

Cleveland Police has warned that delays could affect several roads between approximately 3pm and 5pm.

Potentially affected areas include South Bank, Normanby Road through Teesville, Ormesby, Marton and Acklam Road.

Police have been working on traffic-management plans ahead of the funeral in an effort to keep people moving and maintain public safety.

But the decision to close schools has already triggered a political row.

Conservative MP Laura Trott has criticised the move and urged Education Secretary Lucy Powell to intervene.

Trott argued that children should not lose classroom time because of concerns about disorder in the surrounding area.

The schools and local authority, however, have maintained that the decision was made after considering pupil safety, transport arrangements and the expected impact on families.

THE CRASH THAT CHANGED THE COMMUNITY

Matusiak was one of five young men travelling in a Volkswagen Passat during the early hours of August 22 when the vehicle travelled the wrong way along the A66 near South Bank.

The Passat collided head-on with a marked police vehicle.

Matusiak, 23, died alongside Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23.

The two police officers in the other vehicle, PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, also lost their lives.

The crash has since triggered a major police operation across the region.

Cleveland Police has said some of the five young men may have had links to serious and organised criminal activity, while investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision and events connected to it continue.

At least 27 people had been arrested as part of the wider police operation by the time of the latest reports. Around 200 additional officers have also been brought into the area, while the government announced an extra £2 million for Cleveland Police to tackle serious crime.

FEARS AFTER A CHAOTIC VIGIL

Authorities are particularly conscious of what happened during an earlier vigil for Michael Cahill.

That gathering in Haswell, County Durham, reportedly descended into disorder, with vehicles set alight and police facing criticism over the scenes.

The incidents have heightened concerns about what could happen when large numbers gather again.

However, officials have not said that disorder at Friday’s funeral is inevitable.

The focus remains on preventing disruption, protecting residents and allowing the funeral itself to take place peacefully.

For families in the area, the day will carry very different emotions.

One family will be saying goodbye to a 23-year-old loved one.

At the same time, schools are taking extraordinary measures to protect pupils from the disruption expected around them.

And for a community still trying to process the loss of seven people on the A66, Friday’s funeral will become another highly emotional chapter in a tragedy that has already sent shockwaves through Middlesbrough and beyond.