Disorder at balloon release unacceptable, says MP

Serious disorder at a balloon release for one of the young men who died in the A66 car crash is "unacceptable", an MP has said.

Overnight footage and pictures on social media appear to show cars being set alight in a County Durham field, flares being set off and masked youths on motorbikes.

Redcar MP Anna Turley said the event "put lives at risk" and left residents "frightened and angry in their own communities", adding: "People have a right to grieve and to pay their respects - but people also have a right to feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods."

The BBC has contacted police and the fire service for comment.

Seven people, including PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, died in the crash near Middlesbrough on Saturday, followed by a house fire in Grangetown on Wednesday that claimed the lives of a woman and a seven-year-old girl.

Labour MP Turley called on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and Cleveland Police to use "every appropriate power to protect our communities".

"Seeing illegal bikes and quad bikes rampaging, and fires and fireworks being set off only heightens people's sense of fear and lawlessness," she said.

"While I understand people are grieving and upset, we cannot allow illegal activity to be excused and unchecked."

Cleveland Police Federation chair Lauren Somerville told BBC Radio Tees earlier it had been "more intense than ever in amongst pain and grief", as an extra 200 police officers are being sent to support the investigation.

"It's been unimaginable... those feelings are going to continue for days, weeks, months and years," she said.

Somerville said the extra officers would be used "wherever is needed".

"It's a testament to Tom and Matthew's memory that the whole country is behind us," she said.

"It's a real sense of people starting to understand what the sacrifice of policing is."

On Saturday, PC Blades and PC Clough died when a Volkswagen Passat, which was going the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank, hit their vehicle.

The five young men in the Volkswagen also died and inquests into all seven deaths opened on Thursday.

Police said 17 people, aged between 18 and 61, had been arrested across Teesside as part of an investigation into the lead-up to the crash.

They have been held on a range of offences including possession of a firearm and being part of an organised crime group.

On Wednesday, Natalie McDonald, 34, died along with her seven-year-old niece Valentina Foster in the fire in Grangetown.

Natalie's mother, Lisa Kirton, described her as "a beautiful soul, who would have done anything for anybody".

Valentina, who was known as Tina, was staying at the house for the summer holidays and had been "dancing around the living room" only the previous night.

A fundraiser for the two police officers set up by the Cleveland Police Federation topped £1m earlier this week.

Somerville said: "It's felt really difficult and to see that many people supporting us and speaking about us and wrapping their arms around Cleveland - it's helping us through."

• Who were the seven killed in wrong-way crash?
• PCs killed in A66 crash were heroes, say families
• Aunt killed in fire with niece was 'beautiful soul'

Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council Alec Brown said people were frightened and the council's "fundamental" priority was for them to feel safe in their homes.

He said the area had been "inundated" with national press.

"Every incident that happens is getting in the media and on social media and that heightens awareness of everything that's going on and feeds into people not feeling safe in their homes," he added.

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