At least six people have been injured after a large metal support beam collapsed onto a crowd at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex, prompting a full site lockdown as emergency services, including an air ambulance, respond to the scene.
At least six people have been hurt after a large metal support beam collapsed onto a crowd at the Big Church Festival on the Wiston Estate in West Sussex. The incident occurred at around 3.30pm this afternoon, prompting a swift response from emergency services and forcing organisers to place the entire site on lockdown, with all performances halted while paramedics and specialist response teams treat those affected. The annual Christian music and worship event, being held at Wiston Park near Steyning from 28 to 30 August, is a non-profit gathering that has run since 2009 and drawn crowds of up to 40,000 people at its peak.
What witnesses saw
Festival-goers described chaotic scenes in the aftermath of the collapse. One attendee told The Sun there were “lots of ambulances and police,” along with a helicopter landing close to the worship tent. “From what I’ve gathered the worship tent sign has blown over and landed on a few people,” he said, adding that he had been inside the worship tent shortly before the incident before stepping out to head towards the main stage.
Concern grew further when the festival’s live stream on GOD TV was abruptly cut. One social media user described the scene, writing: “A large metal support beam fell on a crowd of people leaving multiple people critically injured. Medical staff are trying to evacuate patients via airlift. Unclear if there are any fatalities.” The full extent of the injuries remains unconfirmed.
Festival placed on full lockdown
Organisers moved quickly to shut down all activity across the site following the incident. A message displayed on the main stage screen read: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, the show has been stopped. Any campers please head back to the campsite immediately. Any non-campers please remain in the main arena.” Festival-goers also received an email instructing them to return to their tents and to stay away from the stage areas due to safety concerns.
James Lewis of Premier, who was present at the event, said: “We’ve been told that the site is on lockdown, with people not allowed to get in or out.” No one is currently permitted to enter or leave the grounds while emergency crews continue their work.
Emergency services respond
South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed it was alerted to the incident shortly after 3.30pm. A spokesman said: “We were called to reports of multiple people in need of medical attention at Wiston Park, Steyning shortly after 3.30pm today (August 28, 2026). Ambulance crews, critical care paramedics and specialist response teams are currently on scene with six patients confirmed so far. We have no further information to share at this time but will provide updates as soon as possible.”
The scale of the emergency response has caused significant traffic congestion in the surrounding area, as a large number of emergency vehicles head towards the site. The situation remains fluid, with the total number of casualties and the severity of their injuries yet to be fully established.
