Minister urges social media firms to remove dangerous driving clips

Defence minister Luke Pollard has called on social media companies to remove dangerous driving clips immediately after a crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough resulted in the deaths of two police officers and five teenagers. The incident occurred when a vehicle travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway collided with the officers' marked armed response vehicle.

Pc Matthew Blades, 37, and Pc Tom Clough, 38, died at the scene early on Saturday. Also pronounced dead were Cole Robert Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, and Jacob Matusiak, 23. The crash involved a Volkswagen Passat that had been pursued by police.

Link to Social Media Content

This crash follows a recent incident in Ireland where five teenagers died after their car drove the wrong way down a motorway. Both events have been linked to a trend of dangerous driving clips circulating on social media platforms, which appear to encourage such behaviour, including driving against traffic on busy roads.

Mr Pollard stated that social media firms know their business models rely on retaining user attention through engaging content. He told BBC Breakfast that dangerous content has no place online as it can incite others to replicate such actions. He warned that if companies do not remove these clips, the Government would take further action to ensure their removal.

Police Pursuit and Collision Details

Cleveland Police had initiated a pursuit after receiving intelligence concerning numerous incidents linked to a Passat. The vehicle had triggered an ANPR camera and was believed to be using cloned registration plates, according to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Pc Blades and Pc Clough were not part of the initial chase but were responding to assist in the search for the Passat.

The Passat was spotted, and an armed response vehicle pursued it for just under seven minutes. The car then drove onto the A66 in South Bank against the flow of traffic. Police terminated the chase and continued on the correct side of the carriageway. The collision with Pc Blades and Pc Clough's vehicle occurred approximately ten seconds after the pursuit ended.

Tributes and Fundraising

Family members have shared heartfelt tributes to the deceased officers. Pc Clough's family described him as "our hero with a fantastic sense of humour" who was "always on public duty." Pc Blades' wife called him "our superhero" and "the most devoted father to our two young boys," stating he "gave his life in the line of duty."

Fundraising efforts for the officers' families have seen significant donations. A fundraiser shared by organisers at the Cleveland Police Federation surpassed £200,000 within approximately six hours. A second crowdfunder had raised over £26,400 by Sunday night.

Tributes were also shared for the five young men, with friends expressing shock and heartbreak. Balloon releases have been organised in their memory across several locations, including South Bank.