Lambeth Country Show: Woman suffers life-threatening injuries after breakdown

Updated 8 hours ago

A 40-year-old woman is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a funfair ride malfunctioned at a country show in south London, the Met Police said.

The incident happened during the Lambeth Country Show at Brockwell Park at around 6.20pm BST on Saturday.

A man in his 40s is also being treated for “life-threatening injuries”, the force said.

Lambeth Council said the investigation would “determine the cause of the failure”.

Two other people, a man in his 50s and an 11-year-old girl, were injured in the incident and have been released from hospital, the Met said.

The problem appeared on the first day of the free event.

Funfair rides at the show were closed on Sunday, the council added.

One of the fairground rides was seen covered with a tarp on Sunday morning, although it was unclear which ride had malfunctioned.

The council said emergency services attended the scene shortly after the incident and the funfair was closed.

Officers attended the scene on Sunday alongside the Health and Safety Executive.

The force said “inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances”.

Extra safety checks were carried out on all rides and attractions at the show, Lambeth Council said.

A council spokesman added that their thoughts were with the four people injured during the journey.

“We thank the emergency services for their quick response and the support they provide to the affected families,” they said.

“The safety and well-being of our attendees remains our top priority and we are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all visitors.”

The show continued from 13:00 BST on Sunday, but with all fairground races closed and cordoned off.

Signs saying “sorry for any inconvenience this ride will not be opening today” were affixed to the wire fence surrounding the fairgrounds.

Visitors of all ages were seen reading the signs and talking to a fair worker who told them all cars were closed.

Brockwell Park is a popular green space located near Brixton.

The incident took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Lambeth Country Show, which is one of the “biggest free family festivals in the UK”, according to its website.

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said four crews had been deployed along with members of its hazardous area response team and an air ambulance.

All four injured people were taken to “major trauma centers”, they added.