Death of Oasis fan who fell throughout gig sparks coroner’s’ Wembley Stadium ‘concern’

A coroner ordered a report after raising concerns over the safety of barriers at Wembley Stadium following the tragic death of an Oasis fan who fell from height at one of the band’s concerts, a pre-inquest review heard.

Landscape gardener Lee Claydon, 45, of Bournemouth, Dorset, died following the incident at the stadium in north-west London on August 2 last year.

On Thursday (February 26), senior coroner Andrew Walker ordered a report looking into the safety of barriers at the venue, Barnet Coroner’s Court heard.

He said the report should review the design, height and placement of barriers on level five of the stadium, where Mr Claydon fell from.

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The coroner said the report should also contain a risk assessment of the placement of the barriers, and indicate whether any modifications have been made to the barriers since their installation, and whether safety regulations at the stadium provide “a safe environment” for people attending the venue.

Mr Walker ordered the report in response to a letter received earlier this year, understood to have been written by a former Wembley employee who was working at the stadium around 20 years ago, which raised concerns over safety measures.

He said: “My concern is that this area (the stadium) is safe and that steps are taken as soon as possible to make this area safe.

“Although I am not an expert, this report (the letter) suggests that there needs to be some steps taken to make this area safe.”

Mr Walker added: “What I really need to understand is the risk associated with the barriers.”

The letter, which was also seen by the Metropolitan Police, was ordered by the coroner to be disclosed to Brent Council, Mr Claydon’s family and the Football Association.

The inquest was adjourned until another pre-inquest review hearing on April 29 at the same court.

The Met Police completed their investigation into the gardener’s death in November last year, ruling out the possibility of suicide or third-party involvement, saying Mr Claydon’s death was a “tragic accident”.

The force added it had seen a toxicology report and there were “no concerns there”.

Mr Claydon’s inquest opening, which took place in September last year, heard the Oasis fan was taken to a medical centre in Wembley after the fall, where he was pronounced dead at 10.38pm.

A post-mortem examination on August 6 last year gave the preliminary medical cause of death as “multiple bodily injuries”.

The fall happened during a run of stadium shows for the rock band’s sell-out Live ’25 reunion tour – their first since splitting in 2009.

Oasis had previously said in a statement: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan at the show.

“Oasis would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved.”

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