The ‘gang struggle’ that unleashed carnage and led to the horror A66 crash

The VW Passat – filled with the five teens which ploughed head on into a police patrol vehicle killing seven – had been driving “erratically” at speed through the streets in the lead up to the smash.

The five teens who died after driving the car the wrong way down the A66 were chasing a rival gang as part of an ongoing war on the streets, it has been claimed.

The VW Passat – filled with the five teens which ploughed head on into a police patrol vehicle killing seven – had been driving “erratically” at speed through the streets in the lead up to the smash.

The resulting crash on the A66 killed two police officers as well as all five occupants of the stolen car.

Now it has been revealed that the chase was reportedly sparked by a rival gang who used a Volvo XC60 to ram into the home of Cole Worthy’s father at 3am on Saturday – just 40 minutes before the devastating smash.

The MailOnline reports the home of Cole’s dad Gye was rammed twice by the car, which drove straight into the front window causing huge damage. Within minutes the VW Passat containing Cole and his four pals was seen racing around the streets of Middlesbrough in pursuit of the Volvo involved in the attack.

Police then were made aware of the incident and tried to stop them, which then resulted in the teens going on the A66 and crashing.

Until now, reports have been of the boys “joyriding” through the streets, but now it has been reported that it was instead part of a gang war.

There is no suggestion that Cole’s father, Gye Worthy, 39, was involved in any criminal activity, but it appears the attack on his house was the flashpoint that led to the fatal crash.

The tragic incident left seven dead – those in the car Cole Worthy, Makai Saddington, 18, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Theo Rae, 17, and Michael Cahill, 23 as well as two police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

Onlookers local in the area told how they heard a huge bang, which woke half the street up.

They said they didn’t see the incident but did spot the extensive damage done to the house before spotting the boys in the car looking for who had done it, adding: “When they fight among themselves it is one thing, but when innocent lives like those of two police officers are lost, that’s completely another.”

Cleveland Police have confirmed both the Volvo and VW Passat formed part of their enquiries in the early hours of August 22 with investigations still underway.

The car was rammed into the home at around 3am and 40 minutes later footage in the area spotted the car racing around the streets at what has been estimated as between 80mph and 100mph.

At 3.39am, it turned the wrong way onto the A66 dual carriageway, at which point the pursuing police vehicles stopped and seconds later, it smashed head-on into the armed response vehicle carrying PCs Clough and Blades.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: “On the morning of Saturday 22 August, Cleveland Police received several reports of two vehicles being driven dangerously.

“The first vehicle, which is believed to be a Volvo XC60, was witnessed ramming properties in the Middlesbrough area. The second vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat, is believed to have been associated with the activities of the Volvo XC60.

“Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates to avoid detection but were picked up by the force’s automated number plate recognition technology.

“The Volvo XC60 involved in the initial reports has been traced and recovered in Middlesbrough as part of the criminal investigation.

“Throughout the course of the weekend, Cleveland Police, supported by officers and staff from Durham, Northumbria and North Yorkshire Police, have worked tirelessly to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal collision. Those enquiries have resulted in the arrests of 12 people across Teesside.”