Big Beach Boutique II

Due to the far higher than expected attendance the local authorities were severely underprepared, which led to many incidents including two deaths, over 170 injuries, and six arrests.

[3][4] On the day of the concert, Sussex Police reportedly considered cancelling the event due to the vast numbers of people, but decided not to as they feared a riot,[6][7] they allowed it to go ahead with the proviso that he finish 30 minutes early.

The A23 road, the principal route from London to Brighton, was backed up past Gatwick Airport, more than 25 miles away, from the huge numbers of people.

It was an incredible sight to behold and amazing to have been a part of it - but I do still look back and think about how easily things could have gone very wrong...I was working that day as a crowd density spotter for a friend's local stewarding company.

It's a role that was created following recommendations from the 1989 Hillsborough football disaster" — Chris Cocking[11]Several hours before the concert started, the beach was crammed with people.

[13] Paul Cruise, who attended the concert, said that "all of the seafront hotel balconies were packed and people were hanging off lamp posts and railings".

People clung to the doors of trains to try and prise them open and buses were forced to operate unplanned night services to ferry the crowds out.