A public fundraiser set up for the families of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough has passed £1m following the fatal collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Both officers died during the early hours of the morning when their vehicle was struck at South Bank by a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway. Five young men who were inside the Passat were also killed in the crash.

The appeal was established by the Cleveland Police Federation, which has confirmed that the entire sum raised will be split equally between the families of the two officers to use as they wish. Among the thousands of contributions made so far is a £4,000 donation from the Cleveland branch of the National Association of Retired Police Officers.

Before joining the police service, both men had built careers in other fields. PC Blades had previously worked as an English teacher, while PC Clough had served in the British Army. Tributes described police officers as ordinary human beings who are relatives, friends, parents, partners, and colleagues.

Paying tribute, PC Blades's wife said: "He may have left this world committed to the duty he believed in, but his greatest legacy will always be the love he gave to his family," adding that he would be "forever our super hero." A friend speaking about PC Clough described him as a "true friend, fantastic soldier and I have no doubt even better police officer."

We also have clearer information now from the Independent Office for Police Conduct regarding the sequence of events leading up to the collision. According to the IOPC, other officers had been pursuing the Volkswagen Passat seven minutes after the car was linked to earlier alleged criminal activity. However, that pursuit was formally abandoned 10 seconds before the impact, at the point when the Passat turned onto the dual carriageway.

The watchdog confirmed that PC Blades and PC Clough were not involved in that pursuit. They were travelling in a separate police vehicle searching for the Passat after its cloned registration plates triggered an automated number plate recognition camera.

Tributes have also been left for the five young men who died in the Passat, though community leaders have stepped in to address where those respects are being paid. A local community group, Active Tees Valley, issued a public appeal after tribute messages were spray-painted onto the East Middlesbrough Events Centre, which was formerly known as the Middlebeck Social Club.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Active Tees Valley said: "We understand that people want to express their emotions and pay their respects, but damaging buildings that are being used to support local residents ultimately impacts the same community we are all trying to look after."

Meanwhile, the broader criminal investigation into the background of the incident is widening. Police have confirmed that 17 people, aged between 18 and 61, have been arrested across Teesside in connection with the events leading up to the crash. Those individuals are being held on suspicion of a range of offences, including possession of a firearm and being part of an organised crime group.

What remains under active investigation by both Cleveland Police and the IOPC is the full timeline of the alleged criminal activity that first brought the Passat to the attention of officers that night.

I'll be following this one closely as the investigation continues — check back for updates.