Worshippers rushed to lift a heavy sign which read “Everything’s Unmissable”, witnesses said, after it fell on revellers at a Christian festival killing one man and injuring others.
Police were called to the Big Church Festival (BCF) off Washington Road near Steyning, West Sussex on Friday afternoon.
Organisers of the BCF, billed as the UK’s biggest Christian Festival, said they were “devastated by the serious incident” in which a 41 year-old man from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was pronounced dead and six others were injured.
Fred Abbott, of Morden, south London, told the Daily Mail that a “strong gust of wind” toppled the sign as he and his family were nearby.
He told the newspaper: “We were by Tom’s Stage in the Field of Fun, about 20 metres away from where this massive wooden sign was.
‘We heard this massive crack and bang, and me and my friend ran over.
“There were around 30 to 50 people, including me and my friend, picking up this sign. It read: ‘Everything’s Unmissable’.”
Andy Ollerton was walking “just a few paces” behind “when a huge overhead sign came crashing down on the people in front of us”.
The theologian and author explained on Instagram: “We rushed with others to lift the sign off them and then administered first aid with others as best we could until the paramedics arrived but tragically, one of those people, we’ve now heard, lost his life.
“So, we’re absolutely reeling, devastated, as you can imagine, and in a bit of shock as well. I am sure many others who witnessed it were too.”
Mr Ollerton said many people would have questions the incident, adding: “Why did this happen? Why did this happen at human level?
“What went wrong, but also why did God let this happen? I suppose is the deeper question that I’m sure you’re feeling too.”
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