Middlesbrough Football Fans Honour Deceased Police Officers Matthew Blades, Tom Clough

Middlesbrough football fans offered a minute's applause at their Saturday match against Swansea City, honouring the two police officers killed in a road collision earlier this week. PC Matthew Blades, 30, and PC Tom Clough, 26, died when their marked BMW X5 collided with a car on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Thursday.

The tribute at the Riverside Stadium, home to Middlesbrough FC, saw supporters stand to applaud on the 26th and 30th minutes of the game, corresponding to the officers' ages. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The driver of the other vehicle involved, a 73-year-old man, sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving hospital treatment.

Investigations into the circumstances of the collision remain ongoing. Floral tributes have been placed at the site of the crash, reflecting local mourning for the two officers.