Anna Turley, MP for the Redcar constituency where the crash happened, said it was “devastating” to think about the grief of the families involved.
“There were seven lives cut short needlessly in the early hours of yesterday morning and that’s a tragedy for the community here, it’s a tragedy for the Cleveland Police family. Everybody today is really mourning the loss of those lives.”
She paid tribute to the “bravery” of PC Blades and PC Clough and said “no one should not come home to their families at the end of their shift.”
David Taylor and Stephen Martin, councillors for the Eston ward, said they were “deeply saddened” by the “unimaginable tragedy”.
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen called the case “a horrible and tragic incident” in a statement on Facebook.
“Our police officers are heroes who put everything on the line to protect us, and I know all of Teesside will want to pay tribute to the officers and other emergency service workers involved for the bravery they have shown in responding to this incident.”
Cleveland Police Federation chairwoman Lauren Somerville said the loss of the officers was “unfathomable”, adding: “Words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today.”
