The funeral for Police Constable Matthew Blades, who was killed in a head-on crash on the A66, will take place today with full police honors and a procession through his hometown of Hartlepool, County Durham. PC Blades, 37, died on August 22 alongside his colleague PC Tom Clough, 38, when their vehicle was struck by a speeding Volkswagen Passat carrying five young men attempting to evade law enforcement.
PC Blades' wife and their two young sons, aged eight and six, will attend the ceremony. The boys were previously mascots for Manchester United at their August 30 home fixture against Ipswich Town, an event that drew public attention to their plight. Cleveland Police Federation Chair Lauren Somerville described PC Blades as a "best friend, a husband, a father, a brother, a son," adding that his family feels his loss profoundly. She noted his "laughter and silly jokes" and stated that "life feels unbearably quiet without him."
The GoFundMe page established by the federation raised over £1.2 million for the families of both fallen officers. Sarah Blades, PC Blades' wife, paid tribute to him as her "beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys." She emphasized his "courage, dedication and selflessness" in the line of duty, stating that his "greatest legacy will always be the love he gave to his family."
The collision occurred at 3:39 a.m. near South Bank, Middlesbrough. The occupants of the Volkswagen Passat, identified as Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Cahill, 23, Cole Worthy, 17, and Theo Rae, 17, were also killed in the crash. Police reported that the five individuals had connections to organized crime and were fleeing police when the incident happened. The Passat was reportedly involved in a pursuit after ramming the homes of relatives of Worthy and Rae as part of a drug-related gang conflict.
Beyond his police duties, PC Blades was an active figure in the Hartlepool football community, coaching at FC Hartlepool and Seaton Carew. FC Hartlepool's under-10 team has been renamed FC Blades in his honor. A club spokesperson described him as "so much more than a coach," calling him a "role model, a mentor, a friend" who inspired the children on and off the field.