On Air Now

This is the Coast

Midnight - 8:00am

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Lizzo

About Damn Time

Download

Sons of police officer killed in A66 crash appear as Manchester United mascots

The sons of a police officer killed in a head-on crash near Middlesbrough led out Manchester United during a home match on Sunday.

PC Matthew Blades, described by the club as a "proud Red", was killed in a collision with a vehicle going the wrong way down the A66 last weekend.

The vehicle that struck his had been involved in a police pursuit shortly before, but officers broke off the chase. Mr Blades' colleague PC Tom Clough also died in the collision.

The club expressed "great sadness" at the death of the two PCs and invited Mr Blades' wife and two sons to their Premier League match against Ipswich at Old Trafford.

Walking with captain Bruno Fernandes and goalkeeper Senne Lammens, the children led out the team onto the pitch as mascots.

Manchester United said in a statement: "Matthew was a proud Red, a devoted family man and a police officer who dedicated his life to helping others.

"For Matt, some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys."

On Saturday, Middlesbrough paid tribute to the pair and other Cleveland Police officers, holding a minute's silence before their match with West Bromich Albion.

Manchester United also published a tribute from an unnamed friend and colleague of PC Blades in their programme on Sunday.

It read: "For Matthew, United was a lifelong love, a passion he shared with his family.

"Since Matt's tragic death there has been an extraordinary outpouring of grief and support. That love has been seen in countless tributes and acts of kindness.

"Today, we remember a fellow Red. A husband. A father. A son. A brother. A friend. A police officer. A man who gave his life in the service of others. Forever our superhero."

Sky News

(c) Sky News 2026: Sons of police officer killed in A66 crash appear as Manchester United mascots

Want to See More from This is the Coast?

Click here to set This is the Coast as a preferred source on Google search.

Love living on the Yorkshire Coast? So do we.

This is the Coast is 100% locally owned and operated. We don’t rely on public funding or government grants—we rely on our community.

Producing trusted, fact-checked local news takes time and resources. If you value having a dedicated team of professional journalists fighting for our region, please consider supporting us.

Help keep the Yorkshire Coast informed for the price of a coffee a month.

Support Local Journalism Today

More from National News

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 12°C

  • Filey

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 12°C

  • Whitby

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 12°C

  • Bridlington

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 11°C

  • Hornsea

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 11°C

  • Driffield

    Sunny intervals

    High: 21°C | Low: 11°C

News