Afternoon:
8°c
Teenage crush for JLS fans
Amar Singh, Evening StandardUpdated 09:11am on 9 Dec 2008
Five teenage girls were injured in a stampede as a free show held by X Factor boy band JLS attracted nearly 3,000 fans.
Boys are back in town: JLS already have a big following
Hordes of teenagers descended on Fairfield Halls in Croydon, overwhelming around 15 security guards for the group's gig which was being filmed for Saturday's final on ITV.
Organisers had expected only 1,500 people and the overcrowding triggered chaotic scenes as clusters of disappointed fans surged forward to gain entry to the concert.
Some witnesses claimed tempers flared further as rival girl gangs in the crowd started fighting.
Four ambulances and three police cars were sent to the venue. Several fans had to be lifted free from the throng, although only five people were reported injured. One teenager, who did not wish to be named, said: "I'd been queuing since 1pm, but when the school kids turned up it became so busy with them all pushing us towards the front. There was a pregnant woman in the crowd. It was horrible. I couldn't move. I couldn't get out."
Manisha Shah, 37, said she and her daughter Ria, 10, were knocked over in the stampede.
Mrs Shah,who rang 999 , said: " Someone could have been killed.We were both on the floor and people were trampling over us. There was a lady in the crowd who couldn't breathe, but no one was bothered. She was having a panic attack. The crowd was uncontrollable."
Not just a little crush: the fans were out in force
The four-piece band - Marvin Humes, 23, from Woolwich; Jonathan Gill, 21, from Croydon; Ortise Williams, also 21, from Fulham; and Aston Merrygold, 20, from Peterborough - waited in their car for nearly two hours as police tried to bring the crowd under control.
JLS, which stands for Jack-the-Lad Swing, performed three songs before they were whisked away. They have made it to the last three of the talent show but are yet to sign a record deal.
All 1,700 free tickets had been allocated by 2pm, according to girls in the crowd. Charlotte Robinson, 16, from South Croydon: "Everyone thought they could get in. They were handing out flyers for the event saying it was a free concert but when we turned up we were told we couldn't get in."
Elizabeth Ogbu, 17, from Streatham said: "I came a long way to see JLS. We all left college early so we could get in then we found out we had to have tickets."-Naomi Horsford, 16, from Thornton-Heath added: "There were too many people here and not enough people controlling things."
One girl was taken to hospital for treatment for a suspected fractured wrist. Four other girls received treatment for minor injuries. A Met spokesman said: "We were called to reports of a possible crushing at a free music event. London Ambulance and police attended."
The venue's management was unavailable for comment.
Reader views (14)
I can't beleive that some people get injured sometimes for watching JLS. :O Because I'm going to watch them at the 5th March and I hope it won't happen to me... but anyway I love JLS soooo much! I'm a HUGE fan of them and I love Aston. 
He's so gorgeous, cute, funny and nice. 
I can't wait to watch them and I know they will be amazing!! <3 xxxx
- Megan, UK, 09/02/2010 16:51
Report abuse
i think JLS are amazing and they should have won the X Factor. I am myself a teenager and yes i am in Love with JLS, they are my favourite band ever and my bedroom is filled with pictures of them. In my opinion fans do go over the top with chasing them and stuff because JLS are people just like us but have an amazing talent and are famous but how do you think they feel when they here that when they appeared a stampeed of fans after them, and that an amount of injuries were caused. People are blamming JLS for all of this but it really isn't their fault,
JLS i love you and i wishh i could meet you some time.
from your BIGGEST FAN EVER,
ANNABELLE KEECH XX
- Annabelle Keech, Bedfordshire, 13/12/2009 11:33
Report abuse
jls is soooooooooo cool vote 4 dem
- Stacy, wembley, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
Rose,
Have you 'eva' used a spell checker? cos u sownd fick man!
Yeah gads - it that that parents of tomorrow?? gawd help us!
JLS are bound to win as they are offering something to the British music industry we do not have at present - a boy band and dare I say it ......... a handsome, black boy band.
Good luck to them. Dont watch the show and wont be voting but i wish them well.
- Janey C, inverness scotland, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
Oh well, there is no accounting for taste.
- Delphine, Oxford, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
Are all their fans illiterate?
I notice they have to wear different colored jackets so you can tell which ones which, they look like they're auditioning for Captain Scarlet
- Al Stuart, ealing, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
stacy n rose, shut it, were waz u wen I was gettin trampled an hit at croydon, it was wurth it coz ortise is so hot my toof cam out.
- Claire, neasden england, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
claire wat u chating bot ur jls big fan if u were u would not be cussing marvin offffff how hes not cute u no wat ya he is dey all are there hotttttttttttttttttttttttt.
- Rose, neasden england, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
i think jls should of won instead of alex shes just like leona lewis and we didnt need another one of her we need a young boy band and jls just fitted nicely ,,, and they are alll fit as anything ,,, aston baybee i love you always aand forever !!!!
- I Love Jls, portsmouth, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
No! I am sorry you naughty people at thisislondon are having us all on arn't you???
There is no Stacy, Rse, Claire etc is there????
U bin takin' the p' aint you mon???
(They CANT be real people ........................... can they?)
They make Vicky Pollard look like Oxford material PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE tell me you were winding us all up??
There arn't people out there who are that basic are there? Are There?????
- Janey C, inverness scotland, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
janey wot iz u on cuz we dont hav bogpipes down here were is inverness neway jlsssssssss
- Claire, neasden england, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
rose, u r so rong, marvin iz soo not cute 4real cuz i is jls biggest eva eva fan jls u r speshal
- Claire, neasden england, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
jls is da hottest band eva theygot 6 pck and r so dam hot plz vot for dem look at marvin soooooooooooo cute
we need a band 2 represent us plz people br rosexxxxx biggest jls fan eva
- Rose, neasden england, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
THANK U BUT JLS IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT AND I FINK ITS YOU CLAIRE WHO IS A WEIRDO YOU NO JLS IS SO CUTE YA I SAID MARVIN BUT I MENT ASTON, WHAT YOU NEVER MADE A MISTAKE BEFORE
- Stacy, croyden, 13/12/2009 10:33
Report abuse
