Two officers killed in a car crash near Middlesbrough this morning, which also killed five others, have been named by Cleveland Police
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller says PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough "were brave officers protecting our communities"
The collision happened on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough in Teesside, shortly after 03:30 BST on Saturday when a car travelling the wrong way collided with a marked police vehicle
The police watchdog, the IPOC, says it is investigating and understands Cleveland Police "sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began"
Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he "devastated" to hear about the crash, and thanks emergency services
Images show a large emergency services response at the scene - North East Ambulance Service says it sent "14 ambulance resources"
The police car involved in the crash was not part of the pursuit, it was just in the area, the BBC understands.
The pursuit had been abandoned before the crash, according to a police source.
Chief Constable Victoria Fuller concludes her statement by "strongly" urging people to avoid speculation while the investigation is ongoing.
She also asks for the privacy of the families involved be respected.
Image source, PA MediaChief Constable Victoria Fuller says formal identification of the five others killed has also now taken place.
Specialist family liaison officers are also being deployed to support the bereaved families, she says.
She says that, as there are deaths connected to the incident, it is mandatory to refer the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and the force will fully co-operate with the agency's investigation.
As we mentioned earlier, the two police officers killed in this morning’s crash have just been named.
They are PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.
Image source, PA MediaChief Constable Victoria Fuller says the loss is being felt "across communities, by our police family and by our partner agencies".
"These were brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn't return home to their families at the end of their shift," she says.
She adds that she and the deputy chief constable visited the police officers' families to offer their condolences earlier.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller says that at 03:39 this morning, a Volkswagen Passat was "travelling the wrong way down the A66" and collided with a marked Cleveland Police vehicle.
She names the two police officers who died at the scene.
We will bring you their names as soon as we've confirmed the spellings.
Police have just started giving an update, after a crash in the early hours of this morning killed two officers and five others.
Tap watch live to follow along at the top of the page - we'll also bring you the key lines here.
Image source, ReutersPrime Minister Andy Burnham says he is "devastated" by the deaths of two police officers, along with five members of the public.
"My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of everyone involved, and with everyone at Cleveland Police," he writes on X.
"Thank you to the emergency services responding in incredibly difficult circumstances.
"I would urge people to avoid speculation at this time."
BBC reporter Philippa Goymer runs through what we know so far, after police confirmed earlier that seven have died - including two serving officers - in a crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough.
What we know so far about the Middlesbrough crash
Philippa Goymer
BBC North East and Cumbria, reporting from Middlesbrough
Flags are flying at half mast at Cleveland Police headquarters in Hemlington, Middlesbrough.
Media from regional and national outlets are gathering here ahead of an update from Chief Constable Victoria Fuller.
Cleveland police and crime commissioner Matt Storey says the fatal A66 crash, in which two police officers died, is “tragic” and “devastating”.
"There are few words that can bring comfort to the family, friends and colleagues of the seven people who have lost their lives," he says.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected and with those who are continuing to come to terms with this unimaginable loss, including colleagues at Cleveland Police, who will feel the profound loss of two of their serving officers.
"On behalf of everyone at the office of the police and crime commissioner and the people of Cleveland, I extend our deepest condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of all seven people who lost their lives."
We now expect Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller to give a statement at about 16:00 BST.
You will be able to watch live at the top of this page. We will also bring you the key lines as we get them.
Two councillors for the Eston ward where the crash happened say they are "deeply saddened" by the "unimaginable tragedy".
Writing on social media, David Taylor and Stephen Martin share their "heartfelt condolences" with "the families, friends and loved ones of everyone who tragically lost their life".
They say their thoughts are also with Cleveland Police, "the wider policing family" and emergency services who attended the scene.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy that will be felt deeply throughout TS6 and communities across Cleveland and around the country," they say, referencing the wider area's postcode.
"Absolutely heartbreaking," the post adds.
Image source, PA Media
The A66 - a major artery through Teesside - has been transformed into an emergency scene following this morning's fatal collision.
The road remains closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane in Eston.
It is an area bordered by large industrial units and close to the major Teesworks site, one of the biggest brownfield regeneration sites in Europe.
Officers have been policing both ends of the cordon - the crash site is not visible from the road closures.
Pictures show several emergency vehicles nearby, and a white tent has been erected over the scene of the crash.
Police have put a drone exclusion zone in place.
Philippa Goymer
BBC North East and Cumbria, reporting from South Bank
Cleveland Police are standing at the closure of the A66 as crime scene investigations continue at the major road between Middlesbrough and the Teesside coast.
Images from the accident investigation site show a police tent in place, and parts of a vehicle in the road.
There are a number of police vehicles and Cleveland Fire Brigade at the scene conducting the investigation.
No tributes have been placed at the scene so far but some people passing the road closure have described the incident as “tragic”.
Image source, Getty ImagesHome Secretary Shabana Mahmood pays tribute to police as she responds to the "devastating incident".
"Cleveland Police have my support as they work to identify all those involved," she writes on X.
"Police officers put their own safety on the line to protect their communities every single day.
"My thoughts are with all those affected, their families, friends, the emergency services who attended the scene and the wider police family."
Chair of the Cleveland Police Federation, Lauren Somerville, says "words cannot describe the pain the Cleveland Police family are feeling today".
"Our colleagues who should have been going home to their loved ones at the end of their shifts are not. And that is just unfathomable."
In her statement, published on social media, she says the federation will be offering "full support" to the affected families, adding that they have "all of our love and care at this time".
"When the time is right we will pay full tribute to our brave colleagues. But we can assure that their sacrifice will never be forgotten," she adds.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC)'s investigation into the incident remains in its "very early stages", says its director of investigations Nicola Marfleet.
"This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with family and friends and all those affected, including the emergency services in attendance," she says in a statement.
She adds that "when someone dies following police contact" it is mandatory that the incident is referred to the IOPC for investigation.
"Our role is to establish and examine the circumstances of what happened; this work is already underway, and Cleveland Police is cooperating with our enquiries," she adds.
Seven people have died in a crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Here's what we know:
What we don't know:
Police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) says it understands Cleveland Police "sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began" before the fatal crash.
In a statement, the IOPC says it is "investigating the circumstances of a fatal road traffic collision in Middlesbrough following a pursuit involving Cleveland Police officers.
It adds: "The car travelled onto the A66 in South Bank and collided with a police car at 3.39am. We can confirm that sadly multiple people have died in the collision."
The IOPC says its investigation began following a mandatory refferal from the force at 06:03 BST.
