Festivalgoers warn of ‘incredible pain’ and ‘carnage’ during Boardmasters crowd crush

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Andrew Feinberg

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Festivalgoers have described “incredible pain” and “carnage” during a crowd surge at Boardmasters music festival in Cornwall which left revellers injured.

People on social media reported claims of broken ankles and legs, with the local police force saying festival attendees were injured during the crush at a DJ set on Friday.

One mother, whose teenage son was at the festival in Newquay, told The Independent he was in the “terrible” crush and recounted how a surge in the crowd took place after a speaker tower fell down.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said her son claimed there was someone in the crowd causing trouble during the ordeal.

“There was an agitator somewhere in the crowd who started to rile groups of people around him,” the mother added.

She said her son was okay due to being 6ft tall and “very strong” but it was “terrible” for people who were smaller.

Her comments come as a teen has told of being left in intense pain after he was caught in a crowd surge on Friday night.

The 16-year-old told Sky News that 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.”

While a woman, who attended the festival with her two daughters, told the news outlet she witnessed the aftermath of the crush on Friday.

“It was carnage,” Ali Gaudion said. “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”.

Ms Gaudion recalled: “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.”

Although individuals on social media have reported claims of broken ankles, broken legs and drink spiking, nothing has been officially reported so far. A “small number” of people were injured in a crowd surge at the festival but none of the injuries are thought to be serious, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Sam Fender’s headline performance on Saturday had to be called off due to crowd issues.