Woman 'fractures knee' in Boardmasters crowd surge

Jade Brooks said she suffered a fracture in her knee after a crowd surge took place at Boardmasters festival in Newquay

A woman who attended a music festival in Cornwall said she suffered a fractured knee in a crowd surge on Friday.

Jade Brooks, 23, said the Boardmasters event, in Newquay, was a "disgrace" after "around 10 people" fell on her during a "crowd crush".

She then "heard the crunch as someone landed on it".

Organisers said "experienced pit management and security teams" had been in place "with robust medical and welfare provision".

'Packed like sardines'

Ms Brooks, who is based in Yorkshire, said she arrived at The Point stage with her brother, 17, and cousin, 19, an hour before the DJ set.

She said: “We then stood up to get a good view of the stage when more and more people were flocking in.

“This is where we were getting pushed into by people trying to get to the front, which caused us to be packed in like sardines."

She said she wanted to get out of the crowd but everywhere she turned there was "no way to get out".

“The crowd then pushed back and caused everyone to fall, with me being the bottom person and I had about 10 people fall onto my legs," she said.

“I was screaming: ‘My legs,’ when I heard the crunch as someone landed on it.”

The 2024 Boardmasters event was issued a licence to accommodate 58,000 people

Ms Brook, who is a dancer and works in hospitality, said security told her to go to the welfare tent where "hundreds of people were waiting".

The following morning, she explained how she “woke up in agony” and her leg was "swollen to twice its usual size".

She visited an emergency department where an X-ray revealed a fracture in her knee.

Ms Brooke said: “Boardmasters are a disgrace. They should have had security stopping people from coming in to reduce the amount of people so it wouldn’t cause crowd surges.

“I want my money back, along with compensation for destroying my holiday and when I return home - I won’t be able to work for over a month.”

The festival has seen several injuries this year, with bosses confirming on Saturday that seven people were taken to hospital "for precautionary examination".

On Sunday, bosses added that "experienced pit management and security teams" had been "in place across the festival with robust medical and welfare provision including highly experienced and trained medical, welfare and safeguarding staff".

They added: "These teams are available in the main arena and campsites 24 hours a day, for anything our audience might need."

Devon and Cornwall Police said on Saturday they were notified to a "crowd collapse" at the festival on Friday which "left a small number of attendees injured".

The force added: "Contrary to speculation, we can confirm that there have been no deaths as a result of this incident."

Additional reporting by Aisling Grace & PA Media.