King Charles has reached out personally to the families of two Cleveland Police officers who died in the devastating A66 crash on August 22.
The King is understood to have written directly to the families of PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, expressing his deepest sympathy following the tragedy.
A royal source said he was “shocked” by the devastating events and wanted to offer his support to the officers’ loved ones.
Blades and Clough were killed in the early hours of Saturday when their marked armed response vehicle was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction on the A66 near Middlesbrough.
All five people inside the Passat also died, bringing the death toll from the collision to seven.
Clough was remembered by his family as a much-loved man with a “fantastic sense of humour”, while Blades’ wife described her husband as her best friend and a devoted father to their two young sons.
Middlesbrough FC invited fans to observe a tribute before Saturday’s match against West Bromwich Albion, recognising the two men’s service to the local community.
2026-08-29 19:25:00
