ABSOLUTE FURY AND HEARTBREAK AS HUNDREDS BID FINAL FAREWELL TO HERO PC TOM CLOUGH — WHILE SHOCKING A66 REVELATIONS CONTINUE TO RAISE QUESTIONS

Hundreds of police officers, Army veterans and members of the public gathered to honour PC Tom Clough, 38, who was killed in the devastating A66 crash alongside colleague PC Matthew Blades. But the investigation surrounding the five young men in the opposing vehicle continues to raise serious questions.

There were tears, silence and solemn tributes across Redcar as hundreds gathered to say a final goodbye to PC Tom Clough, the Cleveland Police officer killed in one of the most devastating road tragedies to hit the region.

The 38-year-old was killed alongside fellow armed-response officer PC Matthew Blades, 37, when their marked police vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 near South Bank, Middlesbrough, in the early hours of August 22.

All five people travelling in the Passat also died.

HUNDREDS TURNED OUT TO HONOUR TOM

Tom’s funeral took place at Kirkleatham Walled Gardens in Redcar on September 10.

Hundreds of police officers lined the streets as the funeral cortege passed, while Army veterans gathered to honour a former comrade.

Standard bearers representing police forces from across the country lowered their flags as the hearse approached.

Tom’s coffin was draped in the Union Flag, with his police helmet placed on top. Soldiers in ceremonial dress and veterans wearing their medals also joined the procession.

The atmosphere was one of profound grief — but also enormous pride in a man whose career had taken him from the British Army to several branches of British policing.

‘GIVING EVERYTHING TO EVERYBODY’

Before joining Cleveland Police, Tom served in the British Army from 2006 to 2012, including with the Royal Logistic Corps.

He later worked for the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield, before joining the British Transport Police and eventually Cleveland Police as an armed-response officer.

Those who knew him remembered far more than his professional achievements.

Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said Tom was deeply loved by his colleagues and described him as a much-loved partner, son and brother.

She also recalled how Tom had joked that nobody would attend his funeral.

He could not have been more wrong.

A TRAGEDY THAT CLAIMED SEVEN LIVES

The crash happened after a Volkswagen Passat had been involved in a police pursuit.

According to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, the Passat was believed to have been using cloned number plates and was spotted after an ANPR camera was activated.

An armed response vehicle began a pursuit lasting just under seven minutes.

The Passat then entered the A66 travelling against the flow of traffic.

The pursuit was abandoned, but moments later — around 10 seconds according to the IOPC’s initial account — the Passat collided head-on with the vehicle carrying Tom and Matthew.

Neither officer had been involved in the original pursuit. They had been called to assist with the search for the Passat.

Seven people died in the collision.

POLICE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT POSSIBLE CRIMINAL LINKS

The investigation has also taken a wider turn.

Cleveland Police has said the five young men travelling in the Passat may have had links to serious and organised criminal activity.

That does not establish that any of the five were members of an organised crime group, and the circumstances remain subject to investigation.

The revelation nevertheless prompted a major policing response across the area, with detectives investigating events surrounding the crash and wider concerns about serious crime in the region.

The five young men were identified as Cole Robert Worthy, 17; Theo Rae, 17; Makai Saddington, 18; Michael Robert Cahill, 23; and Jakub Matusiak, 23.

TOM’S FAMILY THANKS THE PUBLIC

Following the funeral, Tom’s family released a deeply emotional message thanking everyone who came to support them.

Members of the public had lined the streets of Redcar, with many applauding as the funeral procession passed.

The family said Tom would have been “amazed and so grateful” for the support.

They thanked those who stopped their journeys, got out of their cars and stood respectfully as the cortege passed.

“Your support, love and warmth has helped our family navigate the loss of Tom,” the family said.

A LEGACY THAT WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN

The scale of the public response has been extraordinary.

A fundraising appeal for Tom and Matthew’s families passed £1.2 million, while support also came from people around the world.

For Tom’s former colleagues, however, his legacy is about more than the money raised or the number of people who attended his funeral.

It is about the man they knew.

A soldier.

A police officer.

A colleague.

A partner.

A brother.

And, as one tribute put it, someone who gave everything to everybody.

While hundreds gathered to honour his life, investigators continue working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the A66 tragedy.

The funeral may have marked the end of one chapter for Tom’s loved ones — but for those investigating the crash, many questions remain unanswered.