Two Officers and Five Lives Lost in Tragic Chase | Leeds News

Leeds News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 23, 2026 · 1m

Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, tragically died in a head-on collision with a car they were pursuing — a crash that also claimed the lives of five young men. Though not initially part of the chase, they were called in to assist in locating the vehicle. The pursuit lasted just minutes before the car veered wrong-way on the A66, leading to the crash mere seconds after police broke off the chase. Their families described them as heroes — Blades as an incredible father and best friend, Clough as a funny, generous man always ready to help. As the Independent Office for…