Schools to shut early 'to ensure pupils' safety' ahead of funeral for A66 crash victim

Several schools will close early on Friday "to ensure pupils' safety" as the first funeral for one of five young men killed in the A66 wrong-way crash is set to take place.

Four schools in Middlesbrough have said they will shut at lunchtime as "large numbers of people" are expected to descend on the area, causing "congestion and traffic disruption".

The funeral is understood to be for 23-year-old Jakub Matusiak, also known as Jacob. Crowds, motorbikes and quad bikes are set to congregate in Normanby Road, South Bank.

Mr Matusiak was among five men in a Volkswagen Passat who were killed in a head-on collision with a marked police car while the VW was going the wrong way down the A66 dual carriageway, near Middlesbrough.

Mr Matusiak, Cole Worthy, 17, Theo Rae, 17, Makai Saddington, 18, and Michael Cahill, 23, were pronounced dead at the scene.

The five may have had links to "serious and organised criminal activity", according to Cleveland Police.

PC Matthew Blades, 37; and PC Tom Clough, 38; who were in the other vehicle, were also killed in the crash on 22 August.

South Bank Primary School said it would be closing at 12pm on Friday "to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our pupils".

In a message posted on social media, head teacher Tammy Cooper said: "A funeral is being held locally at St John's church on Normanby Road that day and we are expecting large numbers of people in the area which will inevitably cause congestion and transport disruption in the immediate area."

Ms Cooper said the school also recognises "some pupils may feel upset or anxious about the funeral taking place locally" and the pastoral team would be available for support.

In a letter to parents, Mark Robinson, principal of Outwood Academy in Normanby, said the school would also shut from midday after talks between local headteachers and the council.

A vigil for Mr Cahill last week sparked criticism from MPs and police after a crowd set fire to a number of cars in Haswell, County Durham.

Cleveland Police has said at least 27 people have been arrested as part of their investigations since the collision.

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Meanwhile, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced that following a spate of incidents in and around Middlesbrough, Cleveland Police is getting an extra £2m to tackle serious crime.

Around 200 police officers from outside Cleveland Police have been drafted in to help the force tackle organised crime following the A66 crash.

Also, an online appeal set up by the Police Federation to help the families of the two officers who died in the collision reached more than £1.2m before it was closed, as the organisers said the response was "truly overwhelming".

And Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is to meet TikTok "in the coming days", saying there is more to do to tackle an "epidemic" of young people using social media to encourage dangerous behaviour.

A social media account, thought to have belonged to one of the five, reportedly posted videos last year appearing to show dangerous driving. The videos have since been removed.

(c) Sky News 2026: Schools to shut early 'to ensure pupils' safety' ahead of funeral for A66 crash victim