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1 month ago
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A teenager has described being left in incredible pain after he was caught in a crowd surge at the Boardmasters music festival on Friday night - as Sam Fender's headline performance on Saturday had to be stopped due to crowd issues.
Speaking to Sky News about the incident at the event in Newquay, Cornwall, on Friday, the 16-year-old said he was "near the front" for DJ Sammy Virji, adding: "When loads of people came in, I was pushed and fell on my back, with my leg twisted. It was hyperextended.
"It was incredibly painful, and I couldn't get up. There were people on top of me, and I was on top of other people."
Addressing reports Sam Fender's performance had to be stopped on Saturday night, a Boardmasters spokesperson said: "Tonight's headline set was paused by the artist as fans signalled they required medical assistance for minor issues. These were responded to swiftly and the show resumed."
One woman, who was at the festival with her two daughters, said she saw the aftermath of the crush on Friday.
"It was carnage," Ali Gaudion told Sky News. "There were kids everywhere. There were kids crying, there were kids holding their legs, there were kids being carried."
She said she found one of her daughters and her friends at the back of the stage with a boy who was "really badly hurt".
She said: "He was shaking, he was lying flat and we tried to help him. As I looked around, there were a couple of dozen kids there. And obviously this wasn't a place where there was first aid - there were a few medics, but not many."
She added: "There were kids that were looking after kids. They were crying."
Speaking about one "child crying", the mother said, "you could see there was blood and I don't know if it was bone - it looked like bone - coming out of his leg".
"There was another girl who had a twisted ankle. We didn't know what to do," she said.
Sophie Davies, another mother whose son stayed at the festival, said she "saw just a huge surge of kids running to the front... like a river of people coming in".
She helped the same 16-year-old boy who spoke to Sky News and searched for him after being told he had been hurt.
Once they found him, a stranger "saw he was in pain and offered some paracetamol, but there were no stretchers or ice packs or ambulances".
In a statement, Boardmasters said: "Following a crowd collapse at The Point last night seven attendees were transferred to hospital nearby for precautionary examination after presenting to our medical team. They have been treated for minor injuries and have all since been discharged.
"We have undertaken a multi-agency review and The Point stage has re-opened this afternoon.
"Our welfare teams are available 24 hours a day for any festivalgoers who would like a chat or support."
It also flagged that concerned parents could make contact through the Boardmasters website.
Cornwall Police said a "small number" of people had been injured in a crowd surge.
Sammy Virji said he was "gutted" about his set at The Point being cancelled but "safety should always come first".
In a post on his Instagram, he said crowd surges "can be very serious".
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The capacity of the festival was increased to 58,000 this year, up 5,000 on the 2023 total after the county council approved a licence application submitted by BM Management in February.
It will grow further to 65,000 next year and 66,000 in 2026 as part of the plan.
Stormzy is due to headline on Sunday.
