One of the two police officers who were killed when a car travelling the wrong way down a dual carriageway crashed into them was a “hero”, his family has said.
PC Tom Clough, 38, died alongside his colleague PC Matthew Blades, 37, when a Volkswagen Passat, which officers had been pursuing until seconds before, collided with their vehicle 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.
PC Clough’s family said: “We as a family and Tom’s partner would like to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming support and condolences.”
They described PC Clough as having a “fantastic sense of humour” and said he “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”.
The family of PC Blades, a married father of two, are yet to release a tribute.
Seaton Carew FC, where he had recently become a coach and was preparing for his first season teaching its under-sevens Seahawks squad, said he and his family were “much loved members” of the club.