Man dies after sign collapses at Christian festival, injuring several others

The organizers of a Christian festival have expressed their profound distress after a decorative sign collapsed, resulting in one fatality and injuries to six other attendees.

Sussex Police reported their presence at the Big Church Festival, held at Wiston Park near Steyning in West Sussex, following a call received around 3:38 PM BST on Friday.

Confirmation subsequently arrived that a 41-year-old male from Eastbourne, East Sussex, had passed away.

The Archbishop of Canterbury conveyed her deep sorrow and astonishment upon learning of the tragic occurrence.

Dame Sarah Mullally offered prayers for the bereaved family, friends, and loved ones of the deceased, as well as for those receiving medical attention and the healthcare professionals caring for them.

She also extended her prayers to other festival-goers, staff, and event organizers as they processed the devastating events.

The South East Coast Ambulance service indicated that out of the six injured individuals, four were transported to local hospitals for further medical care, with two of them sustaining severe injuries.

Established in 2009, the Big Church Festival positions itself as the largest Christian gathering in the United Kingdom.

Although the festival commenced on Friday and was scheduled to conclude on Sunday, the organizers decided to cancel the remainder of the event following the incident.

The organizers stated that they were collaborating with emergency services, the police, and the Health and Safety Executive to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the day's event.

They also expressed immense gratitude to everyone who responded, and to their teams and community for the mutual care demonstrated.

Author Andrew Ollerton shared on social media that he was deeply shaken after witnessing the incident.

He explained that he and his wife, Charlotte, were walking just steps behind the spot where a large overhead sign fell onto people in front of them.

Mr. Ollerton recounted that he, along with others, quickly helped lift the sign off the affected individuals and then provided first aid to the best of their ability until paramedics arrived.

Judah Martin, from Kent, recounted being at the event and observing vehicles moving rapidly towards the area where the incident occurred, before campers were instructed to return to their tents immediately.

The 20-year-old informed Your Voice that due to a lack of internet access, they could not obtain information, though word circulated about serious injuries caused by a falling sign.

He noted that the sign in question was a very large wooden structure situated atop a hill, which they had walked beneath earlier that day.

Jessica Schuffenhauer had journeyed from Leipzig, Germany, to attend the festival.