Festival 'devastated' as man dies after sign falls
A 41-year-old man died and seven others were injured after a large sign collapsed at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex. Organizers have canceled the remainder of the event and are cooperating with police and health and safety authorities.
Why it matters
The incident raises critical safety concerns regarding large-scale public events and the regulatory oversight of temporary structures.
Image source, Eddie Mitchell Image caption, Police were called to reports of a sign falling at the festival near Steyning
Organisers of a Christian festival say they are "devastated" after a sign fell at their event and injured seven people, with one man dying at the scene.
Sussex Police said it had been called to the Big Church Festival at Wiston Park , near Steyning in West Sussex, at about 15:38 BST on Friday.
It was later confirmed a 41-year-old man from Eastbourne in East Sussex had died.
A spokesperson for the festival said: "We are devastated by the serious incident that took place at Big Church Festival 2026 today, in which a sign fell, injuring at least seven people, one of whom tragically lost their life."
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in