The five young men who d!ed after a Volkswagen Passat allegedly travelled the wrong way along the A66 and collided head-on with a police vehicle in Middlesbrough have been identified.

Two police officers also lost their lives in the devastating crash, which occurred in the early hours of the previous day.

The officers, PCs Matthew Blades, 38, and Tom Clough, 37, have been remembered for their bravery and service after dying while on duty.

Five Victims Identified

The five occupants of the VW Passat have been identified as Michael Robert Cahill, 23; Theo Rae, 17; Cole Robert Worthy, 16; Jacob Matusiak, 23; and Makai Saddington, 18.

The tragedy has emerged amid concerns over a social media trend in which young drivers allegedly attempt to provoke police officers into pursuing them before sharing footage of the chases online.

It has also been reported that Saddington had previously shared several TikTok videos that appeared to show him participating in high-speed police pursuits months before the fatal incident.

The group was also reportedly connected to the traveller community.

Police Pursuit Before Fatal Collision

The five young men were reportedly involved in a police pursuit after officers became suspicious of the vehicle.

Doorbell camera footage from homes in the area reportedly captured the Volkswagen travelling at high speed through Middlesbrough at around 3:36 a.m.

Police officers initially followed the vehicle but are understood to have stopped the pursuit when the car turned onto the A66.

The Volkswagen later travelled along the wrong side of the dual carriageway before crashing head-on into a marked police vehicle, resulting in the deaths of all seven people involved.