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Durham Police have condemned the behaviour of a crowd who travelled to County Durham on Thursday evening and set fire to a number of vehicles during a vigil for one of the men who died in the A66 crash.

The force said the crowd gathered on a privately owned field near Haswell in County Durham, where five vehicles were set on fire and balloons, flares, and fireworks were released.

No-one was injured and no arrests were made.

The force said officers decided to let the cars burn because "the field was contained and it was assessed there was no immediate risk to wider public safety".

Assistant Chief Constable Jon McAdam, of Durham Constabulary, said: “The behaviour we saw at last night’s gathering was completely unacceptable.

“Our officers and the communities of County Durham and Darlington were understandably horrified by the tragedy which unfolded on the A66 last week which resulted in multiple deaths, including two serving police officers.

“We utterly condemn anyone who would use that tragedy as an excuse for disorder and expect the overwhelming majority of the public would join us in doing so”.

Amid reports of other incidents, including an assault involving a bladed weapon and properties being rammed, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Andy McDonald said "communities were living in terror and fear."

Mr McDonald made the comments as councillors revealed 200 extra police officers were helping under-pressure Cleveland Police staff, and before videos shared on social media appeared to show several cars on fire at a vigil in Haswell, County Durham, where balloons were released in tribute to one of the men killed in the A66 crash.

The extra officers have come from a number of forces, including the National Crime Agency, and are assisting as police continue to investigate the blaze in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough.

On Friday (28 August), a 21-year-old man arrested over the investigation into events leading up to the fatal A66 crash was charged with a drugs offence.

Police have not ruled out a link between the crash and the fatal house fire.

Mr McDonald told ITV Tyne Tees: “I am totally in awe of how Cleveland Police have responded to this crisis.

"They are making sure that these crimes are being properly investigated and they are making arrests, they are going to be prosecuting people and there are more arrests to come."

Mr McDonald said the events in Haswell were "not the way to mark anyone's passing".

He added: "Setting cars alight in a public place is never acceptable."

On Thursday evening, videos shared on social media appeared to show several cars on fire in Haswell.

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