Hundreds Gather for Emotional Funeral of PC Tom Clough After A66 Crash

Hundreds of mourners gathered on Thursday to pay their final respects to PC Tom Clough, a former soldier and armed police officer who lost his life in a devastating crash on the A66.

The funeral became a deeply emotional occasion, filled with grief but also an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude for a man remembered as someone who devoted his life to serving others.

Ironically, PC Clough had once joked that he expected very few people to attend his funeral. The extraordinary turnout on Thursday proved just how wrong he had been.

As the funeral procession approached Kirkleatham Walled Gardens near Redcar, the atmosphere became noticeably quieter. Four police horses accompanied the hearse as it travelled along a route decorated with flags.

A lone bagpipe began playing, creating a solemn backdrop as mourners stood silently to watch the procession pass.

The 38-year-old was remembered not only for his dedication to policing and military service but also for his infectious personality and sharp sense of humour.

Friends, colleagues and members of his family described him as a man who was always prepared to give everything he could to help other people.

His coffin was draped in the Union Jack, while his police helmet was placed prominently on top as a final symbol of his service.

Representatives from police forces across the country joined the procession, with standard-bearers lowering their flags as a mark of respect.

Serving officers and former colleagues stood alongside soldiers in ceremonial dress and military veterans wearing their medals.

Emergency service workers and members of the local community also joined the crowds, many bowing their heads as the cortege passed.

Floral tributes were placed close to the coffin, including a wreath featuring poppies, adding another poignant reminder of PC Clough’s military background.

Clough and fellow officer PC Matthew Blades, aged 37, were killed in a horrific road collision in South Bank.

The two officers were travelling in a marked armed response vehicle when it was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling in the wrong direction along the dual carriageway.

The fatal crash occurred during the early hours of Saturday, August 22, leaving the local community and the wider policing family devastated.

During Thursday’s funeral procession, many police officers wore specially produced badges displaying the names and collar numbers of the two fallen officers.

The tributes demonstrated the lasting impact their deaths had on colleagues throughout the region.

Lauren Somerville, chairwoman of the Cleveland Police Federation, spoke about the tremendous support received from members of the public.

She explained that Clough’s family had been deeply comforted by the response from the community.

According to Somerville, Clough was hugely respected and loved by his colleagues.

She also remembered him as someone who brought enormous energy and fun to the people around him.

Away from his professional responsibilities, he was a devoted partner, son and brother.

He was also famously devoted to his beloved sausage dog, Frank.

Somerville recalled Clough’s old joke that nobody would attend his funeral and said the reality could not have been more different.

The enormous crowd demonstrated just how many lives he had touched during his relatively short life.

Clough’s career had taken him through several different branches of public service.

After leaving the Army, where he had served in Afghanistan, he joined the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and worked at Sellafield in Cumbria.

He later moved to the British Transport Police before eventually joining Cleveland Police.

At Cleveland Police, he worked as an armed response officer, continuing the commitment to public service that had defined much of his adult life.

His family described him as their hero and highlighted his exceptional sense of humour.

They said he had always been willing to act whenever someone needed assistance and never hesitated to help others, regardless of the circumstances.

His military service was also a source of great pride.

The family said he had served his country because he wanted to contribute to making the world a better place.

They expressed their appreciation for the enormous support they had received following his death.

The fundraising campaign established to support the families of both Clough and Blades demonstrated just how deeply the tragedy had affected people.

More than £1.2 million was raised, with almost 44,000 people contributing.

The scale of the donations showed that the two officers’ deaths had resonated far beyond their immediate community.

On Thursday, local residents joined police officers, veterans and emergency service workers along the streets to watch Clough’s funeral procession.

For many people, attending was a simple way of showing gratitude to a man who had spent his life serving others.

Bill Alexander, a 73-year-old Redcar resident and veteran himself, explained that he felt particularly compelled to attend because of Clough’s military background.

He said Clough was not only a police officer but also a fellow veteran, giving them an additional connection.

Alexander recalled how shocked he had been when he first heard that two police officers had died.

Seeing such a large crowd gathered for the funeral gave him some comfort.

He said he wanted to be there to ensure Clough received the farewell he deserved and to demonstrate his respect.

Another Redcar resident attended because she had family members who had worked, or were still working, within the police service.

She explained that the tragedy had brought many of the fears experienced by police families to the surface.

For her, attending the funeral was a way of standing alongside the families and demonstrating that members of the community had not forgotten the sacrifice made by the officers.

Her companion expressed similar feelings, describing the deaths as deeply senseless.

He also pointed out that many members of the public may not fully understand the challenges police officers face every day.

For some mourners, the funeral was also an opportunity to recognize the broader dangers associated with frontline public service.

Brian Dunn, aged 89, and his wife Iris, 87, travelled from Stockton to attend.

Their journey involved a combination of train travel, a bus ride and walking, demonstrating how strongly they felt about being present.

Brian, who had himself completed national service, said he was moved by the size of the crowd.

He described the turnout as heart-warming and said it was important to see so many people coming together.

Iris agreed that they both believed attending was the right thing to do.

She emphasized the demanding nature of police work and suggested that officers often do not receive the appreciation they deserve.

Another mourner, Geoff, travelled from Newton Aycliffe to pay his respects.

The 80-year-old described the circumstances surrounding the deaths as horrific and said the occasion was inevitably emotional.

He explained that his main reason for attending was to show support for the families.

The fact that the two officers were young men who had gone to work but never returned home made the tragedy particularly painful.

The funeral came just one day after another large gathering in Hartlepool, where hundreds of people had assembled to remember PC Matthew Blades.

Blades, a father of two, was also honoured in an emotional farewell attended by members of the public and fellow emergency service workers.

The consecutive funerals provided an opportunity for communities across the region to come together and remember the two officers.

For PC Tom Clough’s family, the overwhelming turnout offered a powerful answer to the joke he had once made about nobody attending his funeral.

Instead, hundreds stood along the streets, while colleagues, veterans, friends and strangers gathered to honour his life.

His coffin, covered by the Union Jack and accompanied by his police helmet, represented a career built around service.

From the Army to policing, Clough consistently chose professions dedicated to protecting and helping others.

His final journey therefore became more than a funeral.

It was a collective expression of gratitude from a community determined to show that his sacrifice, his service and the person he was would not be forgotten.

The grief surrounding the occasion was unmistakable, but so too was the pride felt by those who knew him.

For his family, colleagues and the many people who gathered to pay their respects, PC Tom Clough’s legacy will remain closely associated with courage, humour, generosity and an unwavering willingness to put others first.