Key facts
- Disorder, including cars being set alight and flares discharged, occurred at a balloon release event.
- The event was held for victims of a fatal A66 car crash that killed seven people, including two police officers.
- A separate house fire claimed the lives of a woman and her niece.
- Redcar MP Anna Turley stated the disorder was unacceptable and put lives at risk.
- Cleveland Police are investigating the crash and have made 17 arrests.
- A fundraiser for the deceased police officers has raised over £1 million.
Serious disorder at a balloon release event for victims of a fatal car crash has been described as "unacceptable" by Redcar MP Anna Turley. Footage from the event in County Durham showed cars being set alight, flares being discharged, and masked youths on motorbikes. Turley stated that the event "put lives at risk" and left residents feeling "frightened and angry".
The disorder occurred amidst ongoing grief following the deaths of seven people, including PCs Matthew Blades and Tom Clough, in a road collision near Middlesbrough on Saturday. A further tragedy struck on Wednesday when a woman, Natalie McDonald, and her seven-year-old niece, Valentina Foster, died in a house fire in Grangetown.
Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville acknowledged the intensity of the event, noting it was "more intense than ever in amongst pain and grief." She stated that an additional 200 police officers were being deployed to support the investigation into the crash. Police have arrested 17 individuals aged between 18 and 61 as part of the investigation into the lead-up to the collision, on suspicion of various offences including possession of a firearm and being part of an organised crime group.
Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council Alec Brown commented that residents were frightened and that the council's priority was ensuring their safety. He noted the area had been inundated with national press, which heightened awareness and contributed to a sense of lawlessness.
A fundraiser for the two police officers, set up by the Cleveland Police Federation, has surpassed £1 million, with Somerville expressing gratitude for the support.