Pop stampede ‘may end free concerts’
A COUNCIL yesterday denied it misjudged the popularity of a Christmas lights pop concert in which scores of people were injured during a crowd surge.
But it may have to reconsider staging similar free events.
Four people needed hospital treatment and 60 were injured during Saturday’s opening turn at the switch-on by the group JLS.
Onlookers screamed when the 20,000 crowd breached a metal barrier at Millennium Point in Birmingham.
Local MP Khalid Mahmood said bad planning led to near disaster. An eye witness said: “It was terrifying.”
As Birmingham City Council began a probe, Steve Hollingworth,its assistant director for sport and events, said: “We were expecting around 20,000 people which our measures took account of.”
They immediately cancelled the show when the fence broke.