The father of a fan who tragically fell to their death on Saturday at an Oasis concert has spoken out.
Clive Claydon, 75, told the Guardian that Lee Claydon, was a “hardworking family man” who “loved to be with his family.” He added that the 45-year-old had attended the show with his brother and his brother’s children. Lee Claydon was a “lifelong” fan of the band and a landscape gardener from Bournemouth, England.
“He had everything going for him. I am so devastated,” Clive Claydon told the Guardian.
Lee fell from the upper tier of Wembley Stadium where the Saturday show took place, officials said. They responded to a report that a man had been injured at 10:19 p.m. BST.
Paramedics discovered “injuries consistent with a fall,” and after attempting to revive Lee, pronounced him dead at the scene.
In a statement on Sunday, Oasis told NME that it was “shocked and saddened” to hear of his death.
“Oasis would like to extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved,” the band added in its statement.
Clive was critical of recent speculation surrounding his son’s death, including implications that alcohol may have been involved in the accident.
“He doesn’t take drugs, he may have had a couple of beers but who hadn’t there?” he said. “People have said horrible things but it was just an accident.”
Still, he echoed concerns of other attendees, who said that safety precautions taken at the Wembley Stadium venue had not been up to par.
“All I know is there was beer everywhere, it’s slippery, he slipped apparently, we do not know the rest of it,” he continued. “There’s questions about the barriers.”
Representatives of the venue assured the BBC that they “operated to a very high health and safety standard” and met all legal requirements.
“We work very closely and collaboratively with all relevant event delivery stakeholders — including event owners, local authorities, the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and the police — to deliver events to high standards of safety, security and service for everyone attending or working in the venue.”
Lee’s brother, Aaron, also set up a fundraising page to support his partner, Amanda, and children, Harry, Matthew and James.
He wrote that Lee was “the man who I always looked up to,” and any money raised was to support the family through their “worst nightmare.”
“Lee was a loving family man who was a role model to his son Harry and was loved so much by all his family,” he added. “Lee would have done anything for any of us and he was taken from us far too soon and we will miss him so very much.”
This story originally appeared on LA Times
