Middlesbrough's Labour mayor, Chris Cooke, has rejected claims that the town is "lawless" following a week of gang-related violence, insisting police are "doing a sterling job" and that youth clubs offer the long-term answer. His comments come after a fatal head-on crash on the A66 killed two police officers and five young people, alongside a series of ram raids, a deadly house fire, and arson attacks, all thought to be linked to a violent turf war between factions of a local organised crime group.

Cooke told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that crime had actually fallen over the past two years and praised Cleveland Police as the "second most improved" force in the UK despite a more than 10% cut to officer numbers, calling for funding to be based on need rather than population. Police have arrested 24 people so far, including seven on Friday, as part of the wider crackdown. Cooke, who said he grew up in foster care on similar estates, argued that tackling the root causes of crime through initiatives such as a youth club in every ward and the "Ten by Ten" scheme for children would be key to "breaking the cycle", while acknowledging this would not stop criminals immediately. His remarks contradicted comments made a day earlier by his predecessor, Andy Preston.