At least three people were injured as seating collapsed inside a circus tent at a Winter Funland event, sending terrified families stampeding for the exit
Witnesses described a scene of chaos as seats "collapsed underneath people" and a "massive bang" echoed through the venue in Trafford, Greater Manchester.
Dad Stephen Shone, whose arm was "trapped" in the collapsed seating, said he thought it was part of the show at first and he broke into tears as he drove home and had "flashbacks".
Mr Shone, who was with his wife and two children, aged four and 15, told the Manchester Evening News that they all had pains in their backs and legs after the incident.
A woman, 44, said she fell to the ground as she held her four-year-old granddaughter on her knee and audience members fell on her as the seating collapsed "like dominoes".
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Police and paramedics were called to the Christmas extravaganza, which is held at EventCity, just before 7pm following reports that scaffolding had collapsed.
Mr Shone said: "There was a bang and the floor just went from beneath us.
"I remember trapping my arm, but I managed to get it back out.
"I feel like I’ve been hit by a wagon. We’ve all got pains in our backs and legs.
"I was driving home crying, having flashbacks.
"It was terrifying. The floor went from beneath our feet.
"At first we thought it was part of the show but it wasn’t. We just fell.
"Then there was like a stampede - people climbing over each other trying to get out."
The grandmother who fell was also injured.
Her daughter said: "All we heard was a pole crash. The back bit went down first. We were at the front row.
"My little girl was on my mum's knee. My mum fell down. My mum was getting really hurt.
"The stage just went down. Everyone was just falling onto my mum. I was pulling my mum up, and she went down again. I was like 'sh**', panicking.
"My daughter was screaming, she was heartbroken.
"My mum's leg got stuck. She was trapped for a couple of minutes. The lights went pitch black.
"Everyone was trying to rush out. We got out as quick as we could. (My mum) had to go for first aid.
"She is going to A&E, she has to drive herself. She needs an x-ray. She's just a bit shaken up."
A witness, who was there with her three young children, said: We were next to it when it happened. There was a massive bang and people just jumped up and started legging it wondering what had gone on.
"The stage collapsed underneath people, you could here it as it went bit by bit.
"All the lighting when off and you can imagine it was even scarier in the dark.
"People were screaming and crying - I had a two-year-old in my arms and a four and five-year-old in bits.
"We tried to leave but were told by EventCity staff there no one was allowed to because there were three children missing - thankfully they were found.
"Staff were really unhelpful, they just kept saying ‘we don’t work for Winter Funland we work for EventCity’ when we were asking for information."
James Moakes and his partner Sofia Gomes described a scene of "panic" as about 20 seats collapsed near to them.
They told the MEN that they initially thought the loud noise had something to do with the performance.
But they saw an "entire bench fall down" as a section of seating "collapsed on itself".
The couple said people were panicking and the lights went off.
They said: "Everything fell forward, we felt the floor vibrating. The floor trembled.
"We saw the bench collapse in on itself.
"We heard screaming and panicking, there were a lot of children.
"It was quite scary at the time.
"A few children were in tears, there were distraught."
Garry Longthorne, who was with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, said: "There was a massive bang and a crash. We weren't sure what had caused it.
"We thought the worst.
"Everything was in pitch black.
"Everyone just had to fend for themselves.
"We had to use the lights on our phones to navigate our way out."
Megan Birtles told Mirror Online: "The seats collapsed making a bang, everyone was crying and screaming as we were all guessing what had happened.
"My nephew, who was autistic with ADHD, had made a quick dash for the exit, so I had to run after him.
"We were then guided into the backs of the building, the kitchen, dining room and then escorted out with paramedics at his side."
A spokesman for Winter Funland said three people were injured.
Their injuries were minor and they did not go to hospital, he added.
Winter Funland will reopen on Sunday, but the circus will be closed, the spokesman said.
He added: "The health and safety of our customers is a top priority."
The Health and Safety Executive has been informed the incident.
