18 injured as ceiling collapses on children and families at Pontins resort

Eighteen people have been injured after part of a roof collapsed onto a crowd enjoying the half-term break at a Pontins holiday park in Somerset.

Witnesses have described their terror as debris fell on them in a busy entertainment centre, where more than 100 people had gathered.

Emergency services were called at around 6.30pm, and people inside the resort described it as ‘like a terrorist attack’.

Six people were taken to hospital, ambulance service chiefs confirmed.

Mum Lisa Cook, 40, who was hit by part of the ceiling when it came down, told Mirror Online: "There was a loud crack and part of the ceiling came down on me.

"It was chaos, people were screaming and shouting and running around.

"There were a couple of people underneath it, but they managed to get out.

"Big sheets of wood came down and scraped my neck.

"My son hid under the table, we ran outside, we got straight out of there.

"After we got out I went back in and lifted the boards to see if there was anyone underneath. It was horrific."

She said it happened at around 6.20pm, when there was children’s entertainment going on, and adults were getting ready to play bingo.

Another guest, Grant Rivers told Mirror Online: "There was just an almighty bang and screams, I’ve never experienced anything like it before.

"No one is seriously hurt, just minor injuries. People were running frantically around as the alarm went off.

"Emergency services are here and it has calmed down somewhat now."

Michelle Lewis, 47, who is a guest at Pontins, told Bristol Live: “It looked like a terror attack. People running around, people trapped underneath it.

“I know there were children underneath there.

“They’re taking the injured into a separate building.”

A statement from Avon and Somerset Police said: "Shortly before 6.30pm this evening we were called to Brean Sands Holiday Park following reports a ceiling had collapsed inside a building.

"A number of people suffered minor injuries in the incident but thankfully no one was seriously hurt.

"The Health and Safety Executive have been informed."

In a statement the South Western Ambulance Service said: "We were called to an incident at Brean Sands Holiday Centre at 18.23hrs this evening.

"We sent our HART team, 2 critical care teams, 6 ambulances and 3 officers. 18 patients were treated with 6 being taken to hospital."

Another woman told Bristol Live: "Alarms were going off, screaming and the roof was all on the floor.

"They’re all outside now not allowed to leave, people being sick, crying, screaming from people stuck apparently."

One mother said she had to get her five children out of the entertainment hall.

“We have all been sent back to the chalets, I saw the ceiling come down," she said.

“Emergency services are on site, and we are waiting to hear any news.

“My main priority was get my five kids out. I know air ambulance has been out.”

Former New Zealand cricketer Iain O’Brian posted on Twitter: "Arrived back to Pontins Brean Sands this afternoon, after a day out, to a major site panic. Sirens now, helecoptors circling. Hope everyone is OK! It makes the leaky toilet in our room rather insignificant."

He later wrote a second tweet saying: "Word is, and hopefully it’s accurate, no one seriously hurt. Serious amount of emergency services here. Staff very shaken and look like they could do with a hug or two."

One woman told Bristol Live : "Pontins Brean Sands roof has just collapsed, kids trapped under it.

"Alarms were going off, screaming and the roof was all on the floor.

"They’re all outside now not allowed to leave, people being sick, crying, screaming from people stuck apparently."

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