Schools will end their day earlier in light of a funeral for a police officer who died in a crash on the A66, to ensure safety.

Five men tragically lost their lives after making a wrong turn on the A66 and colliding with a police car. As a result, a funeral will be held for one of the victims, Jakub Matusiak, at St John the Evangelist Church on Friday. The incident, which occurred in Middlesbrough, also claimed the lives of two police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

The community is deeply affected by the loss and several schools have made arrangements to close early this week in order to attend the funeral. Archway Academy Teesville, South Bank Primary School, Outwood Academy Normanby, St Margaret Clitherow’s Catholic Primary School, and Mackenzie Thorpe School are among the schools that will either have partial or full closures. The decision was made in collaboration with the local council to avoid potential congestion and transportation disruptions that may be caused by the large crowds.

Parents and carers have been advised to pick up their children from their usual collection points when the school closes. Children who usually walk home alone will be allowed to leave at the earlier time as well. This adjustment aims to ease the burden on the community during this difficult time.

Matusiak's funeral comes after a previous memorial for him was held near the crash site in South Bank. The memorial, which included orange balloons, fireworks, and bikers wearing balaclavas, sparked controversy and outrage online. Along with Matusiak, the funerals for three other victims, Cole Worthy, Theo Rae, and Makai Saddington, will also be held in the coming days.

The police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision. In the meantime, a fundraiser was launched earlier this week for the families of the two police officers who lost their lives. The campaign, created by the Cleveland Police Federation, has exceeded its target of £1.2 million with donations from over 44,000 people.

The money raised will be equally divided between the families, while the federation will continue to provide support. The community continues to mourn the loss of these young men and their dedication to supporting the families and honoring their memory is heartwarming. Let us all come together to support and comfort each other during this difficult time.