Middlesbrough gang war - live: '£80k Porsche' burned and man stabbed after A66 crash

Middlesbrough gang war - live: '£80k Porsche' burned and man stabbed after A66 crash Latest dramatic scenes from Teesside show cars burning at a memorial event for Michael Cahill, 23, who died in the crash on the A66 One of the cars burnt out at the vigil for A66 crash victim Michael Cahill was believed to be an £80,000 Porsche Cayenne, it is believed. Police have been scrambled to multiple incidents across Teesside as escalating violence linked to criminal gangs following the crash on Saturday, August 22, threatens to spiral out of control. The turf war has claimed nine lives in five days following the deaths of seven people, including two police officers, in the collision between a marked police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat near Middlesbrough. Footage shared online shows a number of cars on fire in a field as balloons were released at a memorial event for one of the five men Michael Robert Cahill, 23, in the Passat. It appears the cars - including the high-performance Porsche - were set ablaze as part of the event. On Wednesday, Valentina Foster, 7, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, were tragically killed in a house fire in Grangetown, Teesside. Two men have since been arrested on suspicion of murder. At noon on Thursday, a 39-year-old man was stabbed on the Bankfields estate in Eston, Middlesbrough, only two miles from the scene of the fatal crash. Hours earlier, a house was rammed. Key Events Mirror journalist Jeremy Armstrong is in Teesside The fundraiser for the families of fallen officers PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades is closing in on its £1.2m target. PC Clough, 38, and PC Blades, 37, died in the crash in the early hours of Saturday. The Cleveland Police Federation set up an online appeal which has now raised £1,117,584. A separate appeal has also reached almost £52,000. The money raised will be given to the families of the two officers. Mirror journalist Jeremy Armstrong is in Teesside One of the cars burnt out at the vigil for A66 crash victim Michael Cahill was believed to be an £80,000 Porsche Cayenne. Eyewitnesses said the vehicle was set alight on the outskirts of Haswell, Co Durham during the vigil for Cahill. The vigil site is around 18 miles from the A66 tragedy scene where Cahill lost his life. This morning, all of the vehicles had been removed. Aerial shots showed the scorched earth where the five cars had been burned. Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with a fire which killed Natalie McDonald, 34, and seven-year-old Valentina Foster and injured four others in Grangetown on Wednesday. Ms McDonald’s devastated brother Josh Kirton told reporters: “My sister was not involved with anything to do with gangs, or the (crash on the) A66. “That’s what makes this so senseless. “People think they can do whatever they like. “There’s some terrible people in the world and now my sister and Valentina have gone.” A woman remains in the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in a critical condition, and a further three people have suffered non-life-threatening injuries who are currently receiving treatment in hospital, Cleveland Police said. In a statement on Wednesday the force said: “We are keeping an open mind and cannot rule out any links to wider organised crime at this time.” Police have issued an update on the 17 people arrested following the crash on the A66. On Monday, 12 people were arrested while on Tuesday, cops arrested a further five people. Monday, August 24 - A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession of an offensive weapon and has been released on conditional bail. - A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and has been released on conditional bail for this offence. He has however been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. Kai Beattie, of Foxrush Close in Redcar, appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 25 August/ - A 30-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and has been released on conditional bail. - A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group and possession of an offensive weapon and has been released on conditional bail. - A 21-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group, possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage and has been released on conditional bail. He has been remanded on recall to prison. - A 20-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of threats to cause criminal damage and public order and is in police custody. - A 61-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate and has been released on conditional bail. - A 47-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of class C drugs and has been released on conditional bail. - A 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of class C drugs and has been released on unconditional bail. - A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm without a certificate, possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of class C drugs and has been released on conditional bail. - A 26-year-old man has been charged with possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of criminal property. Cameron George, of Micklow Close in Redcar, has been remanded in custody until 21 September where he is due to appear at Teesside Crown Court. - A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and has been released on conditional bail. Tuesday, August 25 - A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of participate in an organised crime group and has been released on conditional bail. - An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of participate in an organised crime group has been released on a conditional bail. - A 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of participate in an organised crime group has been released on conditional bail. He has been charged with possession with intent to supply a class B drug. Kai Inico, of Alverton Green, in Middlesbrough, has appeared at magistrates' court on August 27 and was given conditional bial. He will appear at the crown court on September 24 - A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on conditional bail. - A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of threats to kill and has been released on conditional bail. Additionally, two men aged 23 and 31 were arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday, after Valentina Foster, 7, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, were killed in a house fire in Grangetown. Police said investigators were “keeping an open mind” about the cause of the blaze and did not “rule out any links to wider organised crime”. The area of the country covered by Cleveland Police, which includes Middlesbrough, has the highest crime rate in England and Wales, figures show. There were 123.4 recorded crimes per 1,000 population in the Cleveland area in the year to March 2026, according the latest available Home Office figures. This is some way ahead of the force with the next highest rate, West Yorkshire (107.9), as well as the largest forces Greater Manchester (103.7) and the Metropolitan Police (101.0). Cleveland also tops the list in various categories of crime - Shoplifting (15.9 recorded offences per 1,000 people) - Criminal damage and arson (15.0 per 1,000) - Violence with injury (12.6 per 1,000) - Burglary (6.1 per 1,000) - Sexual offences (5.0 per 1,000) - Cleveland Police also had a homicide rate of 21.7 per million people in the year to March, higher than any other force. - It has the second highest rate for all offences involving violence against the person (44.3 per 1,000 people) Four local authority areas are covered by Cleveland Police: Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees. It had 1,503 full-time equivalent officers as of March 31 2026, ranking it 31st out of the 43 territorial forces in England and Wales by size. Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, Alec Brown, said he has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham to thank the Government for the additional resources but asking for more. Mr Brown said: "Over the last five or 10 years, some of our estates – the most deprived in the country – were at the coal-face of austerity. Cleveland Police were slashed by up to 500 officers, and I think what we’re seeing now is them doing an heroic job in very difficult circumstances, with limited resources from what they had in previous years." Mr Brown said two fatal events within a few days was "unprecedented" and had left people "scared". He said: "We’ve had nine deaths in the space of six days, starting with that horrific A66 crash. "To lose nine lives with such close proximity of each other…. that’s led to people feeling unsafe in their own homes." He added: "I get there is speculation whether there’s a gang turf war, these type of things, but as you can imagine, if you were to lose nine lives in your community, on your doorstep, you would feel unsafe in your own home." He said: "I had an update with the superintendent yesterday, and she’s working 20-hour days. She said reports to the police have been unbelievable over the last week." The councillor added: "I’m from an estate very much like the make-up of South Bank and Grangetown, and I know how wonderful those people are and how close they are. "This is why it’s having such an impact on their mentality, because these communities are close. Everybody knows each other, so… one loss is tragic – nine is unbelievable to deal with." Images posted on social media show the chaotic scenes from the vigil held for Michael Cahill yesterday evening. Cars can be seen skidding across the field near Haswell, County Durham where crowds of young people can be seen setting off blue smoke and releasing helium balloons as motorbikes revved their engines. Clips also show several cars set alight and burning in the field. Michael’s mum had previously urged friends to bring “bikes, jeeps, cars and quads” to a balloon release. Video footage of the aftermath of last night’s memorial event shows scorched groud where cars were set on fire, muddy tyre tracks and discarded fireworks after people gathered in a field near Haswell, County Durham for the vigil for Michael Cahill, 23, who died in the A66 crash on Saturday. An MP has described the spate of violence in the Middlesbrough area as "terrorism". Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Andy McDonald made the comments as councillors revealed 200 extra police officers were helping under-pressure Cleveland Police staff. Mr McDonald told Times Radio: "People are saying that they are going to their shops and not feeling safe to do so and feeling trapped in their own homes. That is just unacceptable. "This is terrorism and we’ve got to have an appropriate response to deal with the people who are causing such mayhem in our communities and to allow people to lead their peaceful lives. That isn't happening. We need the resources." Cars set on fire at a memorial thought to have been held in memory of Michael Robert Cahill, 23, who died in the A66 crash were set ablaze as part of the event, it has been reported. His friends paid tribute to him by skidding the cars around a farmer's field and churning up the ground before setting the motors alight, the Sun reports. Mirror journalist Jeremy Armstrong is in Teesside A boy of 16 has been arrested on suspicion of participate in an organised crime group in connection with the A66 crash inquiry, police confirmed today. He has been released on bail. Two men, aged 18 and 21, arrested on suspicion of participating in an organised crime group have also been released on conditional bail, Cleveland police said. The 21-year-old has been charged with possession with intent to supply a class B drug. A 55-year-old man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on conditional bail. A 23-year-old man arrested on suspicion of threats to kill has also been released on conditional bail, all arrests in connection with the A66 crash. The scenes of burning vehicles come after a wave of violence in Middlesbrough following the fatal A66 crash which has seen hundreds of extra police officers drafted in. - A series of suspected gang-related incidents started after the crash on Saturday, which saw a Volkswagen Passat that had been evading police and travelling the wrong way down the A66 crashed into a police car, killing two officers and the five men in the Volkswagen. Police said 17 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident. - Then on Wednesday, Valentina Foster, 7, and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34, were killed in a house fire in Grangetown. Two men have since been arrested on suspicion of murder. Police said investigators were “keeping an open mind” about the cause of the blaze and did not “rule out any links to wider organised crime”. - On Thursday morning in South Bank, Middlesbrough a house was rammed by a “jeep-type car” according to a neighbour.The vehicle kept driving into the front wall of the home until it was “smashed down” the neighbour said. - At around noon on Thursday a 39-year-old man was stabbed on the Bankfields estate in Eston, only two miles from the scene of the fatal crash. Armed police were dispatched to the scene where the front door of a house had been smashed. The victim is currently in hospital receiving treatment. - Following the incidents, Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said more than 200 extra police officers have been, or will be, deployed from around the country to support Cleveland Police. Officers from neighbouring forces, including Northumbria Police, Durham Constabulary and Humberside Police, have been called in, as well as officers from the National Crime Agency. A video clip shows cars burning at the vigil for Michael Cahill, 23, who died in the A66 head-on crash that killed two police officers. At least five vehicles were reportedly set alight at the event in a field near Haswell, County Durham. A series of vigils and balloon releases have already been held following the deaths of the five young men. Around 100 people gathered on Wednesday night to pay tribute to Makai, Theo and Cole, with some of those attending seen setting off flares. A separate vigil was held for Jacob Matusiak on Monday, where orange balloons were released into the sky as crowds cheered. People wearing face coverings were also pictured setting off coloured flares, filling the sky with thick orange, red and blue smoke. Michael Cahill, 23, was among five travelling in a Volkswagen Passat which crashed into a marked police car while travelling the wrong way on the A66. Michael’s mum urged friends to bring “bikes, jeeps, cars and quads” to a balloon release in a field in Peterlee, County Durham, on Thursday evening. The message was posted on social media as she announced a reported “change of plans” for the tribute. A fatal crash on the A66 which killed seven people including two police officers on duty was followed by a fatal house fire that claimed the lives of seven-year-old Valentina Foster and her aunt Natalie McDonald, 34. The house fire feared to be a gangland revenge attack following the A66 tragedy. Cleveland Police admit that the deaths of Valentina and her aunt could be related to "organised crime gangs". Andy McDonald, the MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, told Times Radio on Thursday: “People are saying that they are going to their shops and not feeling safe to do so and feeling trapped in their own homes. “That is just unacceptable. “This is terrorism and we’ve got to have an appropriate response to deal with the people who are causing such mayhem in our communities and to allow people to lead their peaceful lives.” Residents told of their concerns after two more incidents in the same area on Thursday. A vehicle crashed into a wall outside a house in Steele Crescent, South Bank, minutes away from the other two scenes in the early hours and at about midday a 39-year-old was stabbed in nearby Sedgemoor Road, Eston. Referring to the postcode which covers Eston and Grangetown and South Bank, among other areas, he said: “TS6 has gone mad, it’s brutal. “We are just trying to keep our heads down.” Anna Turley, MP for Redcar said in a post on Facebook: “I know how worried people are, and understandably people want to know what is being done. “There is a significant response under way, with additional officers and resources being brought into our area and agencies working together around the clock.” She added: “People have a right to feel safe in their homes and in their communities. That is our absolute priority.” Hundreds of extra police officers have been drafted in after a spate of deadly incidents in a Teesside town, which a local MP says has left people “not feeling safe” going to the shops. Some 200 extra officers have been deployed to help Cleveland Police after a number of violent incidents which followed a head-on crash on the A66, which killed seven people, including two police officers, on Saturday. Alec Brown, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said officers were “working 20-hour days to ensure the ongoing safety of innocent residents”. Middlesbrough locals have taken to social media to share sightings of police incidents across the area. One bystander said they saw a car driving the wrong way around a roundabout while being persued by police. The car i said to have 'narrowly missed' another vehicle on the road at the time. Other residents have reported groups riding on quad bikes wearing balaclavas in the town. Footage from a balloon release in the Teesside area shows cars set ablaze and fireworks set off as crowds gather. The event is thought to be in memory of Michael Robert Cahill, 23, one of the five men who were killed travelling the wrong way down the A66 in a Volkswagen Passet at the weekend.