Pastor, 41, named and pictured after falling sign crushes him to death at Big Church Festival
Robert Guanco, 41, was killed at the UK's largest Christian music festival, which the Archbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally described as leaving her "sad and shocked.Organisers scrapped the entire Big Church Festival, which had been expected to draw up to 40,000 attendees across the bank holiday weekend.Strong winds toppled the wooden 'Everything's Unmissable' sign on the festival's opening day, Friday, prompting groups of up to 50 bystanders to help lift the timber board off those trapped beneath.A 41-year-old man from Eastbourne died after the sign crushed revellers at the Big Church Festival near Steyning, West Sussex.
Robert Guanco, a 41-year-old pastor from Eastbourne, has been identified as the man who died after a large wooden archway sign collapsed onto festivalgoers at the Big Church Festival near Steyning, West Sussex on Friday. His congregation, Jesus the Living Water Church, remembered him as a loving husband to Isay and devoted father to Ellie. A GoFundMe campaign for his family has already surpassed £12,000 of an £18,000 goal.
Eyewitnesses reported that a 'strong gust of wind' brought down the 'Everything's Unmissable' sign, prompting 30–50 bystanders to help lift it from those trapped beneath it.
Six other people were hurt in the incident; four were taken to hospital, including two with more serious injuries.
The Archbishop of Canterbury expressed being 'sad and shocked', and the Health and Safety Executive has been notified.
