Two police officers suffered fatal head and neck injuries when their marked vehicle was struck head-on by a car travelling the wrong way along the A66 near Middlesbrough, an inquest has heard.

PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the devastating collision in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, alongside five men travelling in a Volkswagen Passat.

The crash, which happened at South Bank on the A66, claimed seven lives and has triggered a major investigation into the events that led to the fatal collision.

On Thursday, August 27, separate inquests into the deaths of the two officers were opened and adjourned at Teesside Coroner’s Court.

Coroner Paul Appleton told the hearings that PC Blades had been formally identified by his wife, while PC Clough was identified by his partner.

The provisional medical cause of death for PC Blades was given as head and neck injuries, while PC Clough suffered fatal neck injuries.

The brief hearings provided further details about the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, although the full circumstances of the crash remain the subject of an ongoing investigation.

Mr Appleton said the collision took place during the early hours of August 22 at South Bank, involving a marked police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat.

He told the court that all occupants of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene.

The coroner also outlined what is currently understood to have happened in the moments before the catastrophic crash.

“At this stage it is understood that there had been a police pursuit of the Volkswagen Passat,” Mr Appleton said.

He explained that the Passat subsequently entered the A66 carriageway travelling against the flow of traffic.

“At which stage the pursuit was aborted,” he added.

But only moments later, the Volkswagen collided with a police vehicle.

The police car had not been directly involved in the earlier pursuit, according to the inquest.

The devastating sequence of events meant there was no chance for the occupants of either vehicle to escape the impact.

PC Blades and PC Clough were both killed at the scene, along with the five people travelling in the Passat.

The identities of the five men were also confirmed as the inquests into their deaths were due to open later on Thursday afternoon.

They were Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23.

The tragedy has left families, friends and colleagues mourning seven deaths while investigators continue to establish precisely what happened before the crash.

PC Blades, a married father of two, was remembered as a devoted family man and a committed police officer.

Outside his work, he spent time coaching children’s football and had recently joined Seaton Carew FC, where he was looking forward to coaching his son.

He had also coached his eldest child and other youngsters at FC Hartlepool.

The club described him as a role model, mentor and friend whose influence extended far beyond the football pitch.

His wife paid an emotional tribute following his death, describing him as her “superhero” and saying he had given his life while protecting and serving others.

She also remembered him as her beloved husband, best friend and the devoted father of their two young boys.

His family said his loss had left an irreplaceable space in their lives and vowed that his children would grow up knowing what an extraordinary father he had been.

PC Clough, 38, was also remembered as a hero by his family.

The former soldier had proudly served his country before joining the police and was described by his loved ones as someone who was always ready to help others.

His family said he would “jump into action whenever needed” and was willing to help anyone, regardless of the circumstances.

They also expressed their gratitude for the support and condolences received from colleagues, friends and members of the wider community following his death.

Floral tributes have since been laid in memory of both officers, with colleagues and members of the public paying their respects.

The tragedy has also prompted a significant fundraising effort for the families of PC Blades and PC Clough.

By Wednesday, donations had passed the £1 million mark, reflecting the strength of public feeling following the deaths of the two officers.

Meanwhile, investigators have continued to examine the circumstances surrounding the Volkswagen Passat and the events leading up to the collision.

Cleveland Police have arrested 17 people as part of the investigation into the crash.

The force has described the inquiry as fast-moving and complex, with officers examining a number of incidents believed to have occurred before the fatal collision.

The Passat was reportedly being pursued by police before entering the A66 on the wrong side of the dual carriageway.

The pursuit was then abandoned because of the danger posed by the vehicle travelling against traffic.

The police vehicle carrying PC Blades and PC Clough was in the area to assist with the wider response and was not directly involved in the original pursuit.

It was then struck by the Passat.

The force has previously said that some of those travelling in the Volkswagen may have had links to serious and organised criminal activity.

Police have also been investigating reports of dangerous driving and other incidents in the Middlesbrough area around the time of the crash.

The circumstances have raised concerns about possible links between rival criminal groups, although investigators have stressed that the inquiry remains ongoing.

The five men travelling in the Passat were pronounced dead at the scene, bringing the total number of fatalities from the collision to seven.

Their deaths have also prompted controversy after tributes and gatherings were held in their memory in the days following the crash.

A community group urged residents not to graffiti buildings with tributes to the young men, amid concerns that public displays could cause further tension in an already unsettled area.

The warning came as police continued to deal with the wider consequences of the crash and sought to establish whether organised criminal activity played a role in the events leading up to it.

The deaths of PC Blades and PC Clough have meanwhile continued to resonate across Cleveland Police.

Their colleagues have paid tribute to two officers who were responding to a dangerous situation when they were killed.

For their families, however, the investigation and inquest proceedings cannot begin to answer the personal loss left behind.

PC Blades leaves behind his wife and two young sons, while PC Clough leaves behind his partner and a family who described him as their hero.

The opening of the inquests marks the beginning of a formal process that will eventually examine the circumstances surrounding their deaths in greater detail.

For now, the provisional causes of death have been recorded, but the wider questions surrounding the collision remain under investigation.

As police continue to examine the events that led to the A66 tragedy, the community is left to mourn seven lives lost in a crash that unfolded in a matter of seconds.

Two officers who were carrying out their duties never returned home.

Their families now face the painful task of rebuilding their lives while waiting for investigators and the coroner to establish the full story of what happened in the early hours of August 22.