Crowd Chaos at Boardmasters Festival in Newquay

A festival-goer has shared her alarming experience during the Boardmasters music festival in Newquay, detailing a frightening moment of crowd chaos that she faced with her daughter.

On Friday night, as DJ Sammy Virji was about to perform, the crowd became overwhelming, leading to the closure of The Point Stage after a reported crowd collapse. A few attendees sustained injuries, but luckily, none were serious.

The mother, who was there with her husband and two daughters, described the situation as incredibly crowded. She explained that while her husband stayed outside the barriers with their youngest daughter, her older daughter wanted to go inside. Initially, things seemed manageable, but they quickly turned chaotic as more people surged in.

Feeling trapped, the mum tried to get out but was met with a wall of people pushing forward. When she flagged down a security guard, she was told that they couldn’t leave because of the incoming crowd. The situation worsened, resulting in a massive surge that pushed her and her daughter against the barriers.

Using quick thinking, she lifted her daughter over a barrier to escape and warned the security team again about the brewing problem. Unfortunately, the response seemed lacking, as she noted that no one was managing the crowd properly.

After deciding to stay for a couple more hours, they observed that The Point Stage appeared dangerously overcrowded. Feeling uneasy, they attempted to leave. As they were exiting, another surge occurred, forcing them into a tight situation again.

In the end, they had to use an emergency exit just to avoid further chaos. The mother emphasized that her daughters were frightened, and she had never experienced such overcrowding at any festival before.

Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed a “small number” of injuries but reassured everyone that none were life-threatening. Meanwhile, festival organizers reassured attendees that safety is their top priority and that the other stages remained unaffected, resuming performances as scheduled.

In light of the incident, Sammy Virji expressed disappointment over the cancellation of his set, stressing that safety comes first at such events. He thanked his fans for their understanding during this unexpected and troubling situation.