The father of a lifelong Oasis fan who died after falling from an upper tier at Wembley Stadium has described his son as a “lovely bloke” and a “hard-working family man”. Lee Claydon, 45, a landscape gardener from Bournemouth, Dorset, died on Saturday during the band’s concert at the London venue.
His father, Clive Claydon, 75, said the whole family was devastated by the loss. “He loved his kid, he had everything going for him,” he said. “I am so devastated.” He added that Lee had attended the concert with his brother and his brother’s children, and while he may have drunk alcohol, he had not taken drugs. “People have said horrible things but it was just an accident,” he said.
Mr Claydon raised concerns about safety measures at the stadium, saying: “All I know is there was beer everywhere, it’s slippery, he slipped apparently, we do not know the rest of it, there’s questions about the barriers.” A fundraising page set up to support Lee’s partner, Amanda, and son, Harry, has raised more than £7,000. His brother, Aaron Claydon, wrote on the page: “Our family has been turned upside down and are struggling to deal with this devastation and unexpected loss. Lee was a loving family man who was a role model to his son.”
Wembley Stadium said in a statement: “Wembley Stadium operates to a very high health and safety standard, fully meeting legal requirements for the safety of spectators and staff, and is certified to and compliant with the ISO 45001 standard.” The venue said it works closely with event owners, local authorities, the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and the police. The Metropolitan Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or has mobile phone footage to come forward.
Oasis expressed their shock in a statement on Sunday, saying: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan at the show. Oasis would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved.”
