The Teesside Crematorium service for 17-year-old Cole Worthy was disrupted and a 39-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assault after police responded to reports of a disturbance
A 39-year-old man has been arrested at the funeral of one of the five men who lost their lives in a head-on collision with police on the A66, a crash that also claimed the lives of two armed officers.
Cleveland Police confirmed the arrest at the funeral on Wednesday. The Teesside Crematorium service for 17-year-old Cole Worthy was disrupted and police responded to reports of a disturbance inside.
Superintendent John Wrintmore stated: “At around 12.30pm on Wednesday September 9, police swiftly attended to Teesside Crematorium following reports of a disturbance during a service taking place inside. A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and has been taken to police custody. The service has since resumed. Officers will be in the area to provide reassurance.”
The funeral coincided with that of Pc Matthew Blades, 37, which was held in Hartlepool. He was an armed response officer in a marked police car that was struck head-on by a VW Passat in the early hours of August 22.
His colleague, Pc Tom Clough, 38, also tragically died at the scene.
Schools had previously closed early for the funerals of some of the other young men in the Passat, causing political controversy, but they remained open during Mr Worthy’s ceremony.
Cleveland Police had previously suggested that the men in the Passat might have connections to organised crime.
Meanwhile, hundreds of police officers lined the street at the funeral of colleague Pc Matthew Blades who was killed in a collision on the A66.
Standard bearers represented every UK force at the service for 37-year-old at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in his home town of Hartlepool.
Some of the officers who lined the length of Hutton Avenue outside the red-brick church wore identity patches “Pc 2443 BLADES” and “Pc 3234 CLOUGH” on their uniforms.
The hearse had a white and red floral tribute which read “Dad” on the roof for the married father-of-two. The standard bearers lowered their flags as the hearse, led by a police motorbike outrider, approached the church.
Four officers on horse-back stood guard beside a cordon where hundreds of members of the public were also paying tribute. Before the service, traffic officers in white caps hugged each other as they remembered Pc Blades, who was an armed response officer.
Four pipers and a drummer processed in front of the funeral car and they played Amazing Grace as the coffin, covered by a Union Flag, was brought in.
Emergency services representatives from the North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance were also there.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller greeted mourners at the entrance to the church. Policing minister Sarah Jones and Home Office minister Anna Turley also attended.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham paid tribute in the Commons, saying: “I also want to send our sympathies to the hundreds of people who will gather today at the funeral of Pc Matthew Blades, including many serving police officers, and we send our thanks to them all for their service and their work to keep our communities safe.”
Ahead of the service, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle said: “Today we remember in prayer Pc Matthew Blades, who gave his life in service to others.
“We pray for his family, colleagues and all those affected by these tragic events, and ask for the Lord’s comfort, strength and guidance at this time.”
Outside church, Zara Lavender, 30, from Hartlepool, said: “I have come here to pay my respects to the officer, I thought it was important that people came out to show that.”
A former British Army soldier, who asked not to be named, explained why he came, saying: “You can see from the turnout that people wanted to get together.
“These guys did not deserve what happened to them – the police have a hard enough job as it is.”
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