The families of two Cleveland Police officers killed in a devastating crash on the A66 are set to receive around £1.25 million raised by an overwhelming public fundraising campaign.

PC Matthew Blades and PC Thomas Clough died in August after their police vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a car that was allegedly being driven on the wrong side of the carriageway.

The tragedy has left two families grieving and shaken the wider policing community across the country, while members of the public have rallied behind the relatives of the two officers with an extraordinary show of support.

The main fundraising appeal, organized by the Cleveland Police Federation, had raised just over £1.2 million by 9am on Monday, when donations were paused.

A second fundraiser organized by former police officer Paul Cooper had raised approximately £54,000 at the same time.

Together, the two campaigns have generated roughly £1.25 million for the families.

The scale of the response has stunned those who organized the appeals.

Carl Baker, secretary of the Cleveland Police Federation, said there were “simply not enough words” to express the organization’s gratitude to everyone who had donated in memory of the two officers.

“The kindness and generosity shown by people across the country, and beyond, has meant an enormous amount,” Baker said.

He added that the federation was incredibly grateful to everyone who had supported both families during what he described as an “unimaginably difficult time.”

The fundraising campaign had rapidly gathered momentum following the deaths of Blades and Clough, with donations coming from members of the public as well as people connected to policing and the communities the officers served.

The second appeal, launched by Cooper, also attracted significant support.

Cooper had previously said the money raised through his campaign would also be passed to the families through the police federation.

That fundraiser has now also been paused.

The donations provide financial support at a time when the families are confronting an unimaginable personal loss.

But the public response has also become a wider expression of respect for two officers whose lives were cut short while they were serving their communities.

Blades and Clough were killed on Aug. 22 in a collision on the A66.

Their police vehicle was struck head-on by a car containing five young men that was allegedly travelling along the wrong side of the carriageway.

The circumstances of the collision have formed part of a major investigation by Cleveland Police and other agencies.

The force has said that 27 people have been arrested as part of investigations since the crash.

The arrests have occurred as police continue investigating a wider series of incidents in the Middlesbrough area, adding to the intense focus on the region following the deaths of the two officers.

For colleagues, however, the central focus has remained the loss of Blades and Clough.

Both officers were remembered as dedicated members of Cleveland Police whose deaths have deeply affected their colleagues.

The grief has also spread into the local community.

Over the weekend, football supporters paid tribute to the two constables and other Cleveland Police officers.

Middlesbrough supporters applauded in memory of Blades and Clough before their Championship home match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The club said the tribute was intended to show appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the two men and the wider Cleveland Police force in protecting and supporting the local community.

The gesture offered a powerful public moment of remembrance.

A football stadium normally associated with competition and excitement became a place where thousands of supporters stood together to remember two police officers who had died only days earlier.

The tributes continued the following day, this time at one of England’s most famous football grounds.

Blades’ sons were chosen to lead Manchester United out as mascots before the Premier League match against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The officer’s wife also attended the match.

For the Blades family, the appearance created an emotional opportunity for Matthew’s sons to remember their father in a place that had meant so much to him.

Manchester United said Blades had been a “proud Red” and a devoted family man who had dedicated his life to helping others.

“Some of his happiest times were spent watching United with his boys,” the club said.

The club also shared an image of Blades’ sons meeting Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.

The moment provided a poignant reminder that behind the uniform and the public tributes was a husband and father whose family is now facing life without him.

The support from football fans has formed only part of the wider response.

The fundraising campaign has demonstrated that the impact of the officers’ deaths extends far beyond their immediate colleagues.

People who never met either officer have contributed money, messages of support and tributes to their families.

For the Cleveland Police Federation, the response has demonstrated the strength of feeling toward the two officers.

Baker said the generosity had meant an enormous amount during an exceptionally difficult period.

The decision to pause the fundraising appeals came after they reached a level that organizers considered sufficient to provide substantial support to the families.

The total of approximately £1.25 million represents one of the largest public fundraising responses to a tragedy involving local police officers in recent years.

While money cannot compensate families for the loss of a loved one, the funds could help ease some of the practical pressures that accompany such a sudden tragedy.

The circumstances surrounding the crash have also continued to develop.

Cleveland Police has been investigating the collision and a number of related incidents in the Middlesbrough area.

The force confirmed that 27 people had been arrested as part of its investigations since Aug. 22.

The number of arrests underlines the scale of police activity following the deaths.

However, the arrests should not be interpreted as evidence that all those individuals are connected to the deaths of Blades and Clough.

The circumstances and individual roles involved remain matters for investigators and, where appropriate, the courts.

The deaths themselves have also highlighted the risks faced by police officers while responding to incidents on the road.

Blades and Clough were carrying out their duties when their lives were suddenly cut short.

For their families and colleagues, the circumstances make the loss even more difficult to process.

The officers were not simply victims of a road collision; they were members of a police force whose jobs required them to respond when others needed assistance.

Their deaths have therefore resonated deeply within Cleveland Police and among officers elsewhere in the country.

The public fundraising campaign has provided a visible demonstration of that solidarity.

From football supporters applauding their names to thousands of people donating money, the response has taken many forms.

The tribute at Middlesbrough’s stadium was particularly significant because it came from the community the officers had served.

The Manchester United tribute at Old Trafford added another deeply personal dimension, allowing Blades’ children to step onto the pitch and share a moment connected to their father’s passion for the club.

Those moments have helped keep the focus on the people behind the tragedy.

PC Matthew Blades was a police officer, but he was also a husband and father.

PC Thomas Clough was a colleague, friend and family member whose loss has been felt throughout the Cleveland Police community.

Their deaths have left two families facing a future they could never have anticipated.

The money raised cannot change what happened on the A66.

It cannot bring either officer home.

But the £1.25 million raised by the public represents something powerful: a collective decision to stand beside two families during the darkest period of their lives.

As the investigation continues, the tributes are expected to remain a significant part of the story.

For now, the families of Blades and Clough have the support of colleagues, football clubs, supporters and members of the public across the country.

And as the Cleveland Police Federation thanked those who contributed, the message from the community was unmistakable.

Two officers lost their lives while serving others.

In the aftermath, thousands of people have chosen to stand together for the families they left behind.