Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Police hold ceremonial funeral for PC Blades and Clough

9/9/2026

1 1 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Police held a ceremonial funeral for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough in Hartlepool on September 9, 2026.
They died in a wrong-way A66 crash on August 22, 2026.
A Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong direction struck their vehicle, killing five youths aged 17-23.
Hundreds of officers, including Chief Constable Victoria Fuller and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, lined the street.

History

Historical Context

On 6 October 1985, PC Keith Blakelock was killed during the Broadwater Farm riot in Tottenham, a flashpoint of the mid-1980s unrest that followed the Brixton and Handsworth disturbances and prompted the Met to adopt a new gold-silver-bronze command system. Today, Chief Constable Victoria Fuller leads a ceremony for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, echoing the 1985 mourning that followed Blakelock’s more than 40 injuries.

1 of 2

Story summary

Police held a ceremonial funeral for PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough in Hartlepool on September 9, 2026.
They died in a wrong-way A66 crash on August 22, 2026.
A Volkswagen Passat traveling the wrong direction struck their vehicle, killing five youths aged 17-23.
Hundreds of officers, including Chief Constable Victoria Fuller and Prime Minister Andy Burnham, lined the street.

1 / 2