Six people were injured when a sign fell at Big Church Festival in West Sussex, prompting a lockdown at the site and the cancellation of Friday's programme. Emergency services were called to the event near Steyning shortly after 3.30pm on Friday, August 28.
Ambulance and police response
South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed that six patients were receiving treatment, with ambulance crews, critical care paramedics and specialist response teams on scene. An air ambulance was also seen circling above the venue.
Sussex Police said officers were called at around 3.38pm following reports of a sign having fallen and injured a number of people at the site in Washington Road. Police remain at the scene assisting other emergency services, and there is likely to be some traffic disruption in the local area.
Festival lockdown and cancellation
A journalist from Premier Christian News said attendees were being prevented from entering the site after the incident. They said: "We've been told that the site is on lockdown, with people not allowed to get in or out."
Big Church Festival confirmed the Friday programme had been cancelled, saying: "We are very sorry to inform you that today's show has been cancelled due to a serious incident." All day visitors were told to leave the site, while campers were asked to return to their campsites and await further updates, or leave the site if they wished to do so.
