Two police officers who died when a car travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway crashed into their vehicle have been hailed as heroes by their families.

PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died when a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing until seconds before, collided with their marked armed response car on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday.

The Passat’s occupants Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Cole Robert Worthy, 17, also died.

In tributes released by Cleveland Police, PC Clough’s family said he was “willing to help anyone”, while PC Blades’ wife described him as “loved beyond words”.

“No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt,” she said, adding he was a “beloved husband” and the “most devoted father” to their two young sons who would grow up knowing what an “incredible” dad he was.

“He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness,” she said.

“The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same.

“Neither will the love he gave us ever fade.

“He may have left this world committed to the duty he believed in, but his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave to his family.”

She ended the tribute to her husband: “Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our superhero. Our Matt and Dad.”

PC Clough’s family said he had a “fantastic sense of humour” and “jumped into action whenever needed”, adding he was “our hero” and always “willing to help anyone for any reason”.

They also said he “proudly fought for his country to make the world a better place” and was “always on public duty throughout his short life”.

In other tributes, a man who knew PC Clough posted on social media he was a “true friend, fantastic soldier and I have no doubt even better police officer”.

Seaton Carew FC, where PC Blades had recently become a coach and was preparing for his first season with its under-sevens team, said the officer and his family were “much loved members” of the club.

FC Hartlepool, where PC Blades had coached the under-10s team, said he was a “role model, mentor [and] friend” who the children “looked up to and admired”.

“His kindness, patience, and infectious personality made him loved by all who had the privilege of knowing him,” the club added.

Carmel College in Darlington, where PC Blades taught English before joining the police, said he was an “intelligent, kind an approachable teacher” who “gave generously of himself to the young people in his care”.

On Sunday evening, more than £120,000 had been raised for the officers’ families in an online fundraiser set by Cleveland Police Federation, who said the two officers had “paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty”.

“They leave behind heartbroken loved ones who will struggle to come to terms with the loss of their loved one,” the federation said, adding the organisation would support the families “at this unfathomable moment” with the money to be used “as they so wish”.

Earlier a group of police officers laid floral tributes at the police cordon on Eston Road.

Some removed their hats and bowed their heads and took a brief moment of silence to remember their colleagues.

They spoke briefly to other officers at the scene before leaving, with some hugging each other as they walked away.

Local residents Elisia and Vincent Haarhoff also went to the scene to express their solidarity with the police.

“No family deserves that,” Elisia said, adding: “God bless all the families, honestly.

“We wanted to come… [the police here have] always been so lovely.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating the crash, said PC Clough and PC Blades were “in the area to assist in a search” for the Passat.

Cleveland Police had received reports linking the car, which was believed to be using cloned registration plates that activated an ANPR camera, to “numerous incidents”, the watchdog said.

Officers were pursuing it for almost seven minutes before the Passat turned the wrong-way on to the A66, the IOPC spokesman said.

About 10 seconds later, at 03:39 BST, the car hit the officers’ vehicle which was on the correct side of the dual carriageway, the IOPC said.

Security footage from a house on Lime Road in Middlesbrough appears to show a car being pursued by police vehicles three minutes before the crash.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council said the section of A66 in South Bank between Eston Road and Normanby Road would remain closed until Monday while repairs were carried out on the carriageway.

Follow BBC Tees on X,, external Facebook, external, Nextdoor and Instagram, external and listen to Radio Tees on BBC Sounds.