Family leave P!nk show after being 'asked to sit'

Vanessa said her son was having a "wonderful time" to begin with

The mother of a seven-year-old boy with Down's syndrome said they were both upset and disappointed after being asked to leave a concert.

Jesse, of Belton, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, went to watch P!nk with his mother Vanessa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Saturday.

When he danced during the support act, Vanessa said security staff told them they needed to sit down or watch the show from their sensory room.

A stadium spokesperson said it was "extremely sorry to hear that Jesse did not enjoy a positive experience".

Jesse was standing in front of his seat at the performance when security staff - according to his mother - said they must sit or leave the area

Vanessa said she booked tickets costing £315 each for the hospitality section believing it would give her flexibility to view the show from the bar if her son "struggles to sit still".

The 48-year-old said Jesse was "loving it" to begin with and was "interacting with other guests".

"Until suddenly the blinds [in the hospitality bar] came down, obstructing everyone's view of the stage," she explained.

After managers declined to pull the blinds back up, Vanessa said the pair headed for their dedicated seats.

'Completely overwhelmed'

"Rather than force Jesse into a seat we stood at a barrier where there is a big Perspex screen to manage safety, and we were having a great time, and Jesse was interacting with people who were entertained by his enthusiasm," she said.

"P!nk was about to come on and she dropped from the sky as she usually does and we turned around and there were about six high-visibility security guards who told us we either had to get in our seat or come out of that area.

"They said they'd had a complaint and the only alternative they offered us was a sound-proof sensory room where Jesse wouldn't have heard any of the live music but seen it on a TV screen which was something we could have done at home.

"It was very upsetting and by the time we got to the point of leaving there were at least 10 people surrounding us.

"Jesse [was] completely overwhelmed. I was upset and angry, and rather than shut him away in a sound-proof box we chose to leave."

Jesse posed next to a life-size image of P!nk before going into the stadium

A spokesperson for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium said: "As a venue that prides itself on providing fully inclusive facilities for all, we are extremely sorry to hear that Jesse did not enjoy a positive experience at Saturday night's concert.

"We can confirm that [Vanessa] was offered assistance by our safeguarding and welfare teams throughout the night to provide Jesse with a comfortable viewing experience, including access to our dedicated sensory room.

"The offers of assistance were declined by [Vanessa] and the party chose to leave the event.

"The safety and security of all event attendees remains our utmost priority."

P!nk's publisher Sony Music was contacted for comment.