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 — with officials warning that huge crowds could bring major traffic disruption to the area.

What was supposed to be a day of mourning has triggered an extraordinary safety operation.

Four schools in the Middlesbrough area are shutting their doors around lunchtime on Friday, September 4, ahead of Matusiak’s funeral at St John the Evangelist Church on Normanby Road in South Bank.

The decision was made after local schools, the council and transport authorities assessed the expected impact of large crowds gathering around the church and surrounding roads.

FOUR SCHOOLS TO CLOSE

South Bank Primary School is due to close at noon.

Outwood Academy Normanby is also scheduled to close at 12pm, while Archway Academy Teesville is expected to finish at 11:45am and St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School at 12:15pm.

South Bank Primary headteacher Tammy Cooper said the decision was taken to protect pupils, staff and families because large numbers of people are expected in the area.

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

The closures have already triggered a political debate.

Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott criticized the decision, arguing that children should not have their education disrupted because of concerns surrounding disorder.

But local school leaders said their decision was based on safety, congestion and the practical difficulties that large crowds could create for pupils and families leaving school.

A FUNERAL FOLLOWING A TRAGEDY THAT SHOOK THE REGION

Matusiak was one of five young men travelling in a Volkswagen Passat involved in the catastrophic A66 collision on August 22.

The Passat was travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway near South Bank when it 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.

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

The crash remains under investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

AUTHORITIES ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN AROUND THE FUNERAL

The concern surrounding Friday is not simply the number of mourners.

Officials are preparing for significant traffic congestion and large gatherings involving motorcycles and quad bikes.

Police have warned that roads through South Bank, Normanby, Teesville, Ormesby, Marton and along Acklam Road could experience serious delays during the afternoon.

The expectation of disruption comes after previous memorial gatherings connected to the A66 tragedy were followed by disorder.

At a vigil for Michael Cahill in Haswell, County Durham, several vehicles were set on fire, creating a major police response and intensifying concerns about future gatherings.

Authorities have therefore been preparing for a highly visible police presence across the region.

THE COMMUNITY IS NOW CAUGHT BETWEEN GRIEF AND FEAR

For local families, Friday presents a difficult contradiction.

The funeral is intended to give relatives, friends and members of the community a chance to say goodbye.

But the sheer number of people expected to attend has forced schools to change their normal schedules.

Parents have been warned to expect disruption, while authorities are urging everyone attending the funeral to behave peacefully and respect the surrounding community.

The goal is to prevent a day of mourning from becoming another source of fear or disorder.

POLICE PRESENCE HAS BEEN INCREASED

The A66 tragedy has already placed enormous pressure on Cleveland Police.

Following a series of incidents in the wider Middlesbrough area, the force has received additional resources, including a £2 million funding boost announced by the Home Secretary.

Around 200 additional officers have also been deployed to help deal with serious crime and maintain public safety.

The heightened security comes as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the original A66 collision and a number of subsequent incidents in the region.

Authorities have repeatedly stressed that investigations remain ongoing and that suspected links between separate incidents must be established through evidence.

FRIDAY WILL BE A TEST FOR MIDDLESBROUGH

By Friday afternoon, the roads around South Bank are expected to become the focus of intense public attention.

Schools will already have emptied.

Families will be making their way home.

Mourners will be gathering around the church.

And police will be watching closely.

For those who knew Jakub Matusiak, the day will ultimately be about remembering a 23-year-old whose life ended in one of the region’s most devastating road tragedies.

For everyone else, it will be a test of whether a community shaken by weeks of grief and unrest can come together peacefully.

One funeral. Four schools closing early. Hundreds of people expected. And an entire area preparing for a day that authorities hope will remain a moment of remembrance — not another chapter of disorder.