A 45-year-old man who fell from the upper tier of Wembley Stadium during Oasis’s reunion concert on Aug. 2 died from "multiple body injuries," an inquest at Barnet Coroner’s Court heard Thursday.
Lee Claydon, a landscape gardener from Bournemouth and father of one, fell during the concert and was taken to a medical centre at Wembley, where he was pronounced dead at 10:38 p.m., the inquest was told. The fall occurred at the end of the show while fireworks were being set off after the band played "Champagne Supernova."
Family members and eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes in the wake of the fall. Claydon’s father, Clive Claydon, said his son may have slipped on spilled beer before plummeting from a balcony, calling the area "really slippery" and saying he had been told "it was an accident waiting to happen." One eyewitness told media outlets they initially thought a coat had fallen from the tier above before realizing a person had hit the concrete and paramedics were performing life-saving measures.
Oasis issued a statement at the time saying the band were "shocked and saddened" by the death and extended their "sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved." The inquest heard that a substantial number of personnel came forward after police issued a media request for witnesses.
Detective Inspector Aimee-Leigh Sando told the court police were reviewing CCTV footage and gathering statements from significant witnesses present during the fall, but could not give a timeframe for the completion of the criminal investigation. Senior coroner Mr. Walker said he would open an investigation touching on Claydon’s death and directed that a pre-inquest hearing take place on Nov. 19.
Relatives attending by video link included Claydon’s partner, Amanda Purnell, and his sister. Tributes posted online and on a GoFundMe page described Claydon as a "loving family man" who enjoyed outdoor activities such as fishing and playing guitar. His brother, identified as Aaron in the fundraiser, wrote that the family had been "turned upside down" and appealed for donations to support Claydon’s partner and son.
A cousin, Shannon Robbie, wrote on social media that Claydon had "tragically passed away" after "no doubt having the time of his life at the Oasis concert," and urged support for the family as they coped with the loss.
Eyewitness accounts included descriptions of screams and paramedics rushing to the scene. Some fans said they mistook the initial sight for a falling coat until they saw the man on the ground. Media reports said the fall happened as the concert was concluding and that onlookers watched as medics tried to revive the man while the band finished their performance.
The coroner’s investigation and the ongoing police review will consider the circumstances of the fall, including venue safety and the sequence of events leading up to the incident. A pre-inquest hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19 at Barnet Coroner’s Court, where next steps in the inquiry will be set out.