Shropshire Star

Jack Savoretti's Forest Live appearance wiped out as storm sweeps in

A thunderstorm forced a concert arena on Cannock Chase to end because of safety concerns.

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Jack Savoretti

Music leading up to Jack Savoretti's performance at Forest Live was halted and the arena cleared after lightning moved across the region on Sunday night.

Support act Natalie Imbruglia was forced to stop during her third song Shiver. Those still there had to wait until 9pm for confirmation it had been cancelled.

The audience was advised to clear the arena and wait in their cars until an announcement was made, and the show was cancelled at around 9pm last night.

Torrential rain returned to much of the West Midlands on Sunday night after another day of hot weather. It followed a similar pattern to Saturday, when storms also moved in.

The Savoretti concert was the final of a series of weekend events that saw Paul Weller, Tom Grennan and Madness perform in near perfect conditions

Emma Newman, of Blythe Bridge, had travelled back from a break in Wales to get to the gig and was disappointed the weather had drowned it out.

Peter Thompson, 50, from Castlecroft, was more philosophical. He said: "It's nature, but what can you do?"

Travelling from further afield, Peter Kirkman of Bolton. "It's frustrating because of the weather we have had, but if it rains you don't mind, with the lightning it's not safe," he said.

Zoe Urry, of Draycott-in-the-Clay, was among those waiting in vain for the concert to restart. She felt it should the announcement should have been made immediately.

"You're in the middle of a forest and there's lightning. It should have been cancelled there and then," she said.

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