A Christmas light switch-on in Birmingham city centre ended with four people being seriously injured when a metal barrier gave way as a concert was about to begin.

Crowds had gathered to see the Christmas light ceremony featuring groups the Sugarbabes and JLS.

However, the organisers only expected around 5,000 people to attend, but thousands more turned up.

The Press Association reports that a woman in her thirties suffered crush injuries to her pelvis, shoulder and leg, while another woman broke her ankle when the crowd surged forward. A teenage girl also suffered crush injuries to her back and legs, while a teenage boy sustained a fractured wrist.

The event took place on Saturday (14/11/09) at around 1.30pm at Millennium Point in Birmingham.

Paramedics set up a special emergency unit to treat those injured – and the planned concert and Christmas light switch-on ceremony were cancelled.

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said:

‘The remaining 56 patients suffered minor crush injuries and a range of minor medical complaints. They did not require further hospital treatment and were all discharged by ambulance crews at the scene.’

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