Hundreds of police officers from forces across Britain, together with serving soldiers and military veterans, gathered in Redcar, Teesside, on 10 September 2026 to pay tribute to PC Tom Clough. The 38-year-old Cleveland Police armed response officer was killed on duty in a collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of 22 August.
PC Clough died alongside his colleague PC Matthew Blades, 37, when their marked police vehicle was struck head-on by a Volkswagen Pᴀssat travelling in the wrong direction on the dual carriageway at South Bank. The five young men inside the Pᴀssat also lost their lives in the crash. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has stated that the two officers had been looking for the vehicle after its cloned registration plates triggered an automated number plate recognition camera. They were not the officers involved in the active pursuit that took place shortly before the collision.
Before joining the police, PC Clough served in the British Army from 2006 to 2012. He completed operational tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a lance corporal with the Royal Logistic Corps, serving in the 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment. After leaving the military, he worked with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Sellafield, followed by a period with British Transport Police, before joining Cleveland Police as an armed response officer.
His funeral service was held at Kirkleatham Walled Gardens in Redcar. The cortège was escorted by soldiers in ceremonial uniform and veterans wearing their medals. Hundreds of police officers lined the approach road, while standard-bearers from every police force in the United Kingdom lowered their flags as the hearse pᴀssed. Four mounted officers led the procession. Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville said the widespread public support had brought strength to PC Clough’s partner and family.
The previous day, a similar display of respect had taken place in Hartlepool for the funeral of PC Matthew Blades. Officers from across the country and members of the local community lined the streets outside the church. Some officers wore patches bearing the collar numbers of both fallen colleagues.
The deaths of the two officers and the five young men have been widely mourned in Teesside and beyond. Investigations into the circumstances of the crash remain ongoing. The large turnout of both police colleagues and military veterans at PC Clough’s funeral reflected the dual service he gave to his country — first in the Army and later in the police — and the high regard in which he was held by those who knew him.
Sources : BBC News
