A man died and at least five other people were injured when a large sign collapsed on the opening day of Big Church Festival at Wiston Park in West Sussex on Friday afternoon, August 28.
Sussex Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and later named him as Robert Guanco, a pastor at Jesus The Living Water Church in Eastbourne. In a statement, his church called him a faithful servant of God, a loving husband to Isay and a devoted father to Ellie, and said his service would not be forgotten.
South East Coast Ambulance Service said five other people were assessed and treated at the scene, four of whom were taken to local hospitals. Two of them had more serious injuries and two less serious.
The cause of the collapse has not been established. Police are gathering evidence to assist Horsham District Council with a joint investigation, and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. Detective Chief Superintendent Richard McDonagh said the force's thoughts remain with the family and friends of the man who died, and appealed to anyone with information or video footage to contact Sussex Police under Operation Igloo.
The festival bills itself as the UK's largest Christian music festival. It began in 2009, sold all 40,000 of its tickets this year and was due to run until Sunday with Lauren Daigle, Elevation Rhythm, CeCe Winans, Anne Wilson, Bethel Music and For King & Country on the bill, alongside talks and worship sessions. Organisers cancelled the rest of Friday's performances and then closed the whole event, saying the community was grieving, with refund information to follow.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, said she was sad and shocked, and was praying for the man's family and for those receiving treatment. The weekend is logged on the festival tracker alongside the rest of a summer that included a teenage girl's death at Kendal Calling, while the Christian rock touring calendar continues with a final leg of Third Day's anniversary tour.
The facts
- A large sign collapsed at Big Church Festival on August 28
- A 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene
- Police named him as Robert Guanco, a pastor from Eastbourne
- At least five other people were injured and four went to hospital
- The sold-out festival had 40,000 tickets and was cancelled
- Sussex Police are investigating under Operation Igloo
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