Birmingham Christmas lights: Council admits mistakes
The crowd at the Birmingham Christmas Lights Switch on
The event had been billed as a day of family entertainment as 14 chart favourites were lined up for the huge show.
JLS, who finished second in last year’s X Factor competition, were the main draw for thousands of screaming young fans.
The eventual winner of the TV talent show, Alexandra Burke, was also on the bill alongside the girl groups The Sugababes and The Saturdays, Calvin Harris, rapper Tinchy Strider and Brit Awards winner Taio Cruz.
The stellar line-up brought music fans from all over the country and some had arrived as early as 7am to get a good vantage point.
As JLS were performing, the perimeter fence was breached and thousands of people could be seen running towards the stage.
The resulting crush left dozens trapped or trampled at the front of the crowd.
Some injured youngsters were passed over the heads of the audience to paramedics who were on hand to treat them.
Most of the 60 who needed help were treated at the scene, but four people were taken to hospital.
One woman suffered crush injuries to her pelvis, shoulder and leg and was taken to City Hospital, along with a second female casualty who was treated for a broken ankle.
Both have been discharged after spending the night in hospital.
A teenage boy was treated for a fractured wrist and taken to Heartlands Hospital before being discharged.
The fourth casualty, a teenage girl, was carried out of the crowd on a stretcher and taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital to be treated for neck injuries but was later sent home.
An announcement was made at 3pm that no more acts would appear on stage due to “health and safety” reasons.
JLS concerts have become notorious for drawing huge crowds.
Eight girls were taken to hospital last December after the group played a free gig in their home town of Croydon.
Last month, the Trafford Centre in Manchester was closed when thousands of fans turned up to see JLS turn on Christmas lights at the shopping complex.
The band, whose debut album is number one in the charts, issued a statement on their website on Saturday which read: “News is filtering in that there were some 60 people injured today in today’s Birmingham Christmas lights switch-on and JLS would like to wish all those hurt a very speedy and full recovery.”
