Pastor, 41, hit by falling ‘Everything’s Unmissable’ sign at Christian music festival died of blunt force trauma, inquest reveals as wellwishers raise nearly £250,000 for his family
Pastor Robert Guanco, 41, died after a large wooden entrance sign collapsed in high winds at the Big Church Festival in West Sussex, an inquest heard. Six other people were injured, and organisers cancelled the remainder of the event, which had been due to run for three days.
A post-mortem gave a provisional cause of death as multiple severe injuries and blunt force trauma. Guanco, from Eastbourne, was a pastor and healthcare assistant, and is remembered by his church as a devoted father and loving husband; a fundraising page for his family has raised more than £240,000. A review hearing is scheduled for 9 March 2027 in Horsham.
- Pastor Robert Guanco died when a festival sign collapsed in high winds.
- Six others were injured at the West Sussex event.
- Wellwishers have raised more than £240,000 for his family.
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Big Church Festival is a Christian music event held in West Sussex, bringing together performers and church communities for several days. Its entrance sign was a large wooden structure, and high winds can make such structures dangerous if they are not securely supported.
Robert Guanco, from Eastbourne, was a pastor and healthcare assistant, as well as a husband and father. The incident also injured six other people and led organisers to cancel the rest of the festival, raising questions about how event structures are kept safe in bad weather.