A 41-year-old man from Eastbourne died after a large wooden sign fell onto people at the Big Church Festival on the Wiston Estate near Steyning, West Sussex, on Friday afternoon. The incident, believed to have been caused by a strong gust of wind, also injured at least six people and led organisers to cancel the remainder of the festival.

Witness Fred Abbott said he heard a “massive crack and bang” and joined dozens of people lifting the sign, which read “Everything’s Unmissable”, from those trapped beneath it. Emergency services were called at about 3.38pm; police are investigating under Operation Igloo and have appealed for information or footage, while wind speeds locally were reported to have reached up to 27mph.