@c5news: “It just should never have happened.” The family of a police officer killed in the A66 crash farewelled their “superhero” at a packed funeral in his hometown of Hartlepool, County Durham on Wednesday. PC Matthew Blades, 37, was killed along with his colleague PC Tom Clough, 38, when a VW Passat containing five young men struck their armed response vehicle on the A66 near Middlesbrough on 22 August. PC Blades widow, Sarah, stood alongside hundreds of officers and mourners as her husband's Union Flag-covered coffin was carried into St Joseph's RC Church. “Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever our superhero. Our Matt and Dad,” she said in a moving tribute to her late husband. Sarah and his family said he would be "loved beyond words, today, tomorrow, and always". Many of the slain officers' colleagues wore a special identity badge for the funeral displaying ''PC Blades 2443 PC Clough 3234'. PC Blades, who had two sons aged six and eight, should have been coaching a youth team named in his honour this week the funeral heard. PC Clough will be farewelled on Thursday.

Martin :

rest in peace gone but not forgotten 😢

m :

Another two angels who departed the policing family. May PC Tom Clough and PC Mathew Blades rest in peace. 💙🕊️Thier passing is a reminder to the commitment and sacrifices that are made by police officers every day.

jasminezaraaa :

Just so very sad 💔🥺 feel for his family wife and children 💔🙏

lucyogrady525 :

these two lovely policemen serve the community no they have gone way to soon. wake up government lack of interest in us northern people. police understaffed 2 of the finest gone leaving loved ones heart broken well Mr priminister we need more police in Cleveland to stop all this crime. died protecting the public rip xxx

baldy2015 :

Nobody goes to work to die. RIP to you both. I hope in time your families pain is replaced with memories of happier times you spent together.

mags :

god rest his soul.

J 🐊🍋🦍 :

Rest in peace Offs

petermay290 :

My heart bleeds god bless him x

Stu :

was tom on police interceptors?!sooo sad...

Just me :

Heartbreaking 💔

Manda :

My heart is broken from

emmz1974 :

RIP so very sad my condolences to his family friends and colleagues 😢 x

Debbie Bryan :

Rest in peace

nileycat :

rest in piece we all salute you 🫡🫡🫡

kellyrose75 :

Katherine :

RIP x

keepfitnorwich :

🙏

Manda :

My heart fro:m WYP

Kev the best 🏳️‍🌈 :

💙💙

Caroline Law :

RIp thak you for your service 🥰

Diane Turvill :

🌺. Mandy 🌸 :

Christina Cooper :

we all salute you rest in peace so sad .God bless the family xx

user19815324626744 :

his pal friend and car partner gets put to rest today both sorry died tigether now forever together in gods keeping blessing to family and friends [Pray][Red heart]

dipster7 :

RIP ❤️