A silent prayer vigil will be held in South Bank today (August 24) as the community continues to mourn seven people who died in the devastating A66 crash.
St John the Evangelist Church will open its doors from 4pm until 8pm, giving people the opportunity to light a candle, say a prayer or simply sit quietly and reflect.
Fr Malcolm Lockey will lead prayers every hour on the hour for those who lost their lives, their families and friends, and everyone affected by the tragedy.
Redcar MP Anna Turley said the church would provide a place for the community to come together at a time when “so many families, friends and our whole community are grieving”.
PC Tom Clough
(Image: cleveland police)
She said: “This will be a space to come together, remember those we have lost and hold their loved ones in our thoughts.”
Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, were killed when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the A66 collided with their marked armed response vehicle in the early hours of Saturday.
PC Matthew Blades
(Image: FAMILY)
Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23, who were travelling in the Passat, were also pronounced dead at the scene.
Ms Turley visited South Bank on Sunday to lay flowers “on behalf of our whole community” and pay her respects to those who died.
From left to right: Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Michael Robert Cahill, 23.
(Image: SOCIAL MEDIA)
She said there were “no words for the heartbreak” being experienced by their families, friends and loved ones.
The MP also paid tribute to Pc Blades and Pc Clough, saying the officers had been “serving our community and should have come home from their shifts”.
She added: “I also want to pay tribute to the police officers and emergency services who are still responding to this terrible incident.
Floral tributes on the A66 at in South Bank, Middlesbrough
(Image: Stuart Boulton/NORTHERN ECHO)
“At a time of unimaginable sadness, they continue to go out, do their duty and support those affected. We are incredibly grateful to them.”
Ms Turley said she had remained in close contact with Cleveland Police and Chief Constable Victoria Fuller following the collision.
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She also repeated a warning from the force after AI-generated images purporting to show the two officers began circulating online.
She urged people not to share images or information about the tragedy unless it had come from an official source such as Cleveland Police, saying this was important “out of respect for the officers, their families and everyone affected”.
The A66 remains closed around South Bank while repairs are carried out following the collision, with the road expected to reopen on Tuesday.