Dozens gathered for the funeral of Makai Saddington, one of five young men who died in a wrong-way collision on the A66 in Middlesbrough last month. Saddington, 18, was among the passengers in a VW Passat, alongside Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jakub Matusiak, 23, who were all pronounced dead at the scene. The crash also claimed the lives of PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who were responding in a marked armed response vehicle.
Saddington's service on September 8, 2026, marked the third funeral for a passenger in the Passat. A funeral for Theo Rae was held the previous day, with four schools in the area closing early at staggered times due to concerns about potential traffic disruption. Similar closures occurred for the funeral of Jakub Matusiak the Friday prior. However, no schools were reported to have closed early for Saddington's funeral, following a political dispute over the earlier decisions.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, criticized the early school closures, describing them as "obscene" and arguing that the Labour government was allowing "gang violence to dictate the lives of law-abiding citizens." She stated that the decision to close schools set a "terrible precedent" and suggested it conveyed a message of weakness by the government. Badenoch further contended that it was a "kick in the teeth" to the police officers who lost their lives.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell responded to Badenoch's criticism, calling it an "ill-judged attempt at political point-scoring." Powell stated that she had been in close contact with headteachers, schools, and local authorities to support them in keeping schools open and addressing child protection issues. Downing Street also emphasized that disruption to pupils' learning should be "kept to an absolute minimum," while acknowledging "exceptional local circumstances" that led headteachers, in consultation with local authorities, to make closure decisions.
The funeral for Theo Rae saw mourners arriving from 1:50 p.m., with a horse-drawn carriage followed by five black funeral cars. Attendees were observed hanging out of cars during the procession. A silver BMW in the cortege featured a custom registration plate reading 'RIP' and 'THEO'. Floral tributes included arrangements spelling out 'nephew'.
Jakub Matusiak's funeral took place on Friday, with hundreds of mourners lining the streets in South Bank, Middlesbrough. Many wore black and orange, reportedly Matusiak's favorite color. His coffin was inscribed with the word 'son', and floral displays formed the word 'Dad'. The funeral cortege included luxury vehicles such as an Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Rolls-Royce. Balaclava-clad individuals and people on bikes were present on nearby streets after the service.
Cole Robert Worthy's funeral was scheduled for the day after Saddington's, and the funerals for the two police officers were also anticipated that week. Four schools in the Acklam area of Middlesbrough—Outwood Academy Acklam, Newham Bridge Primary School, Acklam Whin Primary School, and Green Lane School—closed early for Rae's funeral. These closures followed similar decisions for Matusiak's service, just a week after schools had reopened following the summer holidays. Middlesbrough Council stated that individual schools made these decisions due to concerns about traffic disruption.
According to Cleveland Police, Matusiak's service passed with minimal traffic disruption and no disorder. It was previously reported that Makai Saddington was awaiting trial on charges of racially abusing and assaulting officers, having made his first court appearance on July 17.