Hundreds of police line street at A66 crash colleague’s funeralStandard bearers represented every UK force at the service for Cleveland Police officer Matthew Blades in Hartlepool.Bagpipers lead the funeral cortege through the streets lined with police colleagues at the ceremonial parade to the funeral of Pc Matthew Blades (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA WireTom Wilkinson3 minutes ago
Hundreds of police officers lined the street at the funeral of a colleague who was killed in a collision on the A66.
Standard bearers represented every UK force at the service for Pc Matthew Blades, 37, at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in his home town of Hartlepool.
He was killed with his colleague Pc Tom Clough, 38, in a horrific collision at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, in which five young men also died.
Some of the officers who lined the length of Hutton Avenue outside the red-brick church wore identity patches “Pc 2443 BLADES” and “Pc 3234 CLOUGH” on their uniforms.
The hearse had a white and red floral tribute which read “Dad” on the roof for the married father-of-two.
The standard bearers lowered their flags as the hearse, led by a police motorbike outrider, approached the church.
Four officers on horse-back stood guard beside a cordon where hundreds of members of the public were also paying tribute.
After the funeral, Cleveland Police released images taken from inside the church showing the coffin with a cap on top.
Before the service, traffic officers in white caps hugged each other as they remembered Pc Blades, who was an armed response officer.
Four pipers and a drummer processed in front of the funeral car and they played Amazing Grace as the coffin, covered by a Union Flag, was brought in.
Emergency services representatives from the North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance were also there.
Pall bearers carry the coffin of Pc Matthew Blades into his funeral at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Hartlepool (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller greeted mourners at the entrance to the church.
Policing minister Sarah Jones and Home Office minister Anna Turley also attended.
After the service, Ms Turley, in whose Redcar constituency the crash happened, said: “It was such a powerful tribute to a wonderful man – clearly so loved and admired by colleagues and friends in Cleveland Police and beyond.
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“But most of all a devoted husband and dad who was rightly a hero to his sons.
“My thoughts remain with everyone who loved Matthew as we remember his life and honour his service.
“As the Very Reverend Canon Paul Douthwaite said at the service – he was the light that shines into the darkness.
“We owe it to him to reflect Matthew’s light onwards.”
A police officer wears a black armband embroidered with the names of two colleagues who were killed (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire
Prime Minister Andy Burnham paid tribute in the Commons, saying: “I also want to send our sympathies to the hundreds of people who will gather today at the funeral of Pc Matthew Blades, including many serving police officers, and we send our thanks to them all for their service and their work to keep our communities safe.”
Ahead of the service, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle said: “Today we remember in prayer Pc Matthew Blades, who gave his life in service to others.
“We pray for his family, colleagues and all those affected by these tragic events, and ask for the Lord’s comfort, strength and guidance at this time.”
Outside church, Zara Lavender, 30, from Hartlepool, said: “I have come here to pay my respects to the officer, I thought it was important that people came out to show that.”
A former British Army soldier, who asked not to be named, explained why he came, saying: “You can see from the turnout that people wanted to get together.
Bagpipers lead the funeral cortege through the streets (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire
“These guys did not deserve what happened to them – the police have a hard enough job as it is.”
After the service, Lauren Somerville, Chair of Cleveland Police Federation, said: “The Police Family came together shoulder to shoulder today, arm in arm to remember our brave colleague PC Matthew Blades.
“It was an honour and a privilege to attend today’s funeral on behalf of our colleagues across Cleveland.
“His family have shown incredible dignity and bravery since those awful events in August and it was our privilege to play our small part in honouring Matt’s memory.
“Matt was a devoted husband and father. An adored son and brother, son-in-law, and is remembered as the most fun uncle. He has been taken from his loving family far too soon and they remain squarely in our thoughts.
“The support and love we offer them does not end today.
“We will always be there to take care of them.”
She added: “Matt was a police officer who was loved deeply by his colleagues and clearly a cherished and much missed football coach.
“It was so moving to hear the stories of his humour and cheekiness.
“That’s the man who will be remembered fondly and we will never grow tired of hearing these stories.
“Policing Cleveland will continue – but we will ensure that Matt and Tom, and their legacy, will never be forgotten.”
Police officers hug each other before the funeral of Pc Matthew Blades (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Wire
The armed response officers were in a marked vehicle heading the right way down the A66 in the early hours of August 22 when they were hit by a Passat which had been involved in a police pursuit before it was aborted.
Ms Fuller has previously said Pc Blades and Pc Clough were “brave, committed, professional people who put the public before themselves”.
Manchester United fan Pc Blades was a dedicated football coach in his spare time.
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