Update: IOPC investigation following fatal road collision in Middlesbrough

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the fatal road traffic collision in Middlesbrough following a pursuit involving Cleveland Police officers has now verified some of the circumstances in the lead up to the collision.

Following a mandatory referral from the force, we declared an independent investigation yesterday morning and IOPC investigators were sent to the scene and the post incident procedure to begin reviewing evidence.

Our initial enquiries have established Cleveland Police received intelligence regarding numerous incidents that were linked to a Volkswagen Passat. The Passat, which contained five male occupants, was later sighted and an armed response vehicle began a pursuit of the vehicle.

Analysis of the police vehicle in car footage shows the pursuit lasted just under seven minutes before the Passat travelled onto the A66 in South Bank, against the flow of traffic, at which point the pursuit was aborted by officers and they continued to travel on the correct side of the carriageway.

A short time after the pursuit ended, approximately 10 seconds later, the Passat collided with another police vehicle which was not involved in the pursuit but in the area to assist in a search for the Passat believed to be using cloned plates that had activated an ANPR camera.

It has been confirmed that following the collision at 3.39am, seven people sadly died. As reported yesterday, they included two Cleveland Police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.

We can also confirm the five occupants in the Passat who died were Michael Cahill, Theo Rae, Cole Worthy, Jacob Matusiak and Makai Saddington.

IOPC Director of Engagement Derrick Campbell said: "Our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends and all those affected by yesterday's collision., We recognise the devastating impact the incident has had on those in the force, and the wider policing community, and offer our condolences.

"We have obtained initial accounts of officers involved in the pursuit, the incident log and in car footage of the incident. Work is ongoing to obtain additional material.

"IOPC investigators will continue to review and analyse all the evidence that is available to us. We will not be providing any further comment at this time."

• Cleveland Police
• Road traffic incidents