A 41-year-old man from Eastbourne died and at least six others were injured after a sign fell at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex on Friday afternoon. Organizers canceled the remainder of the festival following the incident. Sussex Police responded to the scene at Wiston Park around 3:38 PM BST, and are urging anyone with information or video footage to come forward. The Health and Safety Executive and local authorities have also been informed.
Eyewitnesses, including Theo Saville, described a 'large wooden sign' collapsing near a tented area, reportedly in the direction of the wind. The Met Office had issued warnings of windy conditions up to 27mph in the area. The Big Church Festival, founded in 2009 and described as the UK's largest Christian festival, estimates it was due to host around 40,000 people.
ParentFuel, a Christian parent support charity with representatives at the festival, reported that its team members were safe and praised the festival's handling of the situation, calling the incident a “freak accident.” The festival organizers stated they are “devastated” and are cooperating with emergency services and the Health and Safety Executive to determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse. Police are supporting the man’s family and have confirmed six other individuals were taken to the hospital for treatment. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not yet released details regarding the sign’s structural integrity or the precise cause of the collapse.
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