Four schools in Middlesbrough will close early for lunch on Friday ahead of the funeral of Jakub Matusiak, one of the young men killed in a tragic A66 crash. This decision has drawn sharp criticism from Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott, who accused the schools of "giving in to thugs" and urged the government to ensure "criminal gangs don't get their way."
Two police officers and five young men died on August 22 when a vehicle, pursued by police, collided with an armed response car on the A66 dual carriageway. The deceased officers were PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38. The young men who lost their lives were Jakub Matusiak, 17, Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23. Investigations revealed that four of the young men in the vehicle had prior criminal convictions, including offenses for assaulting a police officer and vehicle-related crimes.
The funeral is understood to be for Matusiak, with crowds, including motorcyclists and quad bikers, expected to gather in the Normanby Road area of South Bank. The service is scheduled to take place at St John the Evangelist Church.
<![CDATA[https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/09/04/08/111046959-16104603-image-a-1_1788506284798.jpg]]>Previous events, described as 'memorials' for those involved in the crash, have seen disruptive behavior. A memorial for Michael Cahill last week in Haswell, County Durham, resulted in cars being set on fire, drawing criticism from MPs and police. A similar event for Matusiak in South Bank last month involved fireworks, the release of orange balloons, and instances of intimidation by individuals on motorbikes.
South Bank primary school announced its closure at noon, citing the need to "ensure the safety and wellbeing of our pupils" due to anticipated congestion and transport disruption. Headteacher Tammy Cooper stated that the decision was made after careful consideration of the potential impact on student, staff, and family departures, and acknowledged that some pupils might be upset or anxious, with pastoral support available.
Outwood Academy in Normanby, Archway Academy Teesville, and St Margaret Clitherow's Catholic Primary School will also close early at midday. The Mackenzie Thorpe Centre will be closed for the entire day. A spokesperson for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council confirmed that the early closures were decided after discussions between headteachers and the local authority, focusing on potential traffic congestion and disruption to home-to-school transport.
<![CDATA[https://i.dailymail.com/1s/2026/09/04/08/111046627-16104603-image-a-3_1788506412239.jpg]]>Ms. Trott has urged Education Secretary Lucy Powell to intervene, emphasizing the government's duty to protect students from educational disruption caused by lawlessness. "Children should not be kept out of school because of the behaviour of thugs on the streets," Trott stated. She added that if schools are closing due to concerns about disorder or criminality, those responsible should be held accountable, and that intimidation must not be tolerated.