A tragic incident unfolded Friday afternoon at a Christian festival when a sign fell on attendees, leaving six people injured and one dead at the scene in Wiston Park, West Sussex.
The Big Church festival, which says it is the UK’s biggest Christian festival, was founded in 2009.
Sussex Police issued a statement following the incident and said it had been alerted at about 15:38 BST on Friday, August 28, at the Big Church Festival at Wiston Park.
The officials confirmed at least one man, who is described in his forties, from Eastbourne in East Sussex had died.
Following the incident, the organisers cancelled the show in a post on Instagram, urging the visitors to “leave the site now.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement and said she was “sad and shocked” to hear about the fatal incident.
Dame Sarah Mullally said, “I’ll pray for his family, friends and loved ones as they grieve. I pray for those receiving treatment and the healthcare workers looking after them.”
The Christian festival started on Friday, August 28, and was due to run until Sunday, August 30, but after the tragic incident, the organisers called it off.
Sussex authorities have been urging anyone with potential information about the incident to contact them.
2026-08-29 17:00:00
