Child dies after falling ill at Camp Bestival
A child has died after falling ill at a popular UK festival, which said the youngster required ‘immediate medical care’ on site.
Camp Besitval is a music festival held at two different locations across two separate weekends in the summer each year, billing itself as ‘the UK’s favourite family festival’.
After the first event took place in Dorset at the end of July, the second leg took over Shropshire’s Weston Park last weekend (17-20 August), with performers including the likes of Primal Scream, Rudimental, The Human League, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Confidence Man, Sam Ryder and Melanie C.
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On the second night, Friday 18 August, a child fell ill and tragically died, with Staffordshire Police confirming officers were called to the site in the early hours of Saturday morning following reports of an unwell festivalgoer.
In a statement, the force said: "We were called to Camp Bestival, Weston Park, at 12.37am on Saturday (19 August) following reports of a child who was taken ill.
“The child was treated at the scene and taken to hospital in a critical condition.
"Sadly, the child died a short time later.
“Specially-trained officers are continuing to support the child’s family and we ask that their privacy is respected at this very difficult and distressing time.”
The force added: "Inquiries are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the death."
West Midlands Ambulance Service told the BBC it was not called to the site and that a private ambulance company was used.
A spokesperson for Camp Bestival shared their ‘deepest sympathies’ with the child’s family, saying: "A child became poorly on Friday night and, after receiving immediate medical care on-site, was taken to hospital in an ambulance, where they tragically passed away.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family at this terrible time, and we will continue to support them in any way we can."
The festival was named Best Family Festival for several years at the UK Festival Award, having received the accolade in in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014.
"With soft play, circus skills, drum workshops, rollerskating, creative crafting, dance classes, lantern making, bushcraft, tree climbing and swing boats, there are screen-free creative kids' capers galore to fire up the imagination,” its website explains.
At last weekend’s event, actor Kate Winslet surprised people by reading to children in her pyjamas in the CBeebies Bedtime Story Tent.
She read classic book Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey to a packed-out crowd, saying: "I've been to many countries, but my favourite country is England and my favourite festival is Camp Bestival."
Jess Hardiman