Schools to close early again for A66 crash funeral

57 minutes ago 3

Five young men in their late teens and early 20s. They all have similar haircuts, with a fringe and faded back and sides. Four of them are gesturing with their fingers. Three of them extend their thumb, index, and pinky fingers - leaving their middle and ring finger tucked down. One points with his index and middle finger whilst holding a Lucozade bottle. They are all dressed in casual clothing.

ByPamela Tickell and Aja DoddNorth East and Cumbria

A number of schools will close early again due to a funeral for one of the young men who died in a crash which killed seven people, including two police officers.

Theo Rae, 17, was among the five in the car which went the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of 22 August and hit an oncoming Cleveland Police vehicle.

Middlesbrough Council said a number of schools had chosen to close for the teenager's funeral, including a primary school which said it would "ensure safe transit home for all our families".

Schools in neighbouring South Bank closed early on Friday for Jakub Matusiak's funeral. Police said it "passed without issue" and with "very minimal traffic disruption".

The closures sparked criticism from Conservative MP Laura Trott who said schools "should stay open for children to learn".

Rae's funeral is to take place at Teesside Crematorium, Acklam, Middlesbrough, on Monday afternoon.

It is understood Cleveland Police will have similar arrangements in place as it did on Friday, including a visible police presence around the area.

Middlesbrough Council said some schools had chosen to close early "based on the possibility of localised traffic disruption leading to delays later in the afternoon".

Outwood Academy Acklam will close at 12:15 BST, Newham Bridge Primary School at 13:00 and Acklam Whin Primary School and Green Lane School in Acklam at 13:15.

In a letter to parents, Newham Bridge Primary School said the closure was to "ensure safe transit home for all our families".

Outwood Academy Acklam said the decision had been reached "after careful consideration of the potential impact on pupils, staff and families travelling to and from the school".

Pictures of the two officers. Both are smiling. PC Blades has smart stubble and short fair hair. PC Clough also has stubble and short dark hair.

The head-on crash happened at about 03:39 BST on 22 August.

Officers PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, died at the scene.

The five occupants of the VW Passat, Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and 17-year-olds Theo Rae and Cole Robert Worthy, also died.

Dozens of people have since been arrested as part of a wider police operation against organised crime, following the crash.

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