Teenage fans of Croydon X Factor sensation JLS were injured in a stampede outside Fairfield Halls.

More than 1,000 fans were packed outside the halls on Monday (December 8), completely surrounding barriers awaiting the appearance of the boy band.

A crowd surge resulted in three ambulances being called to deal with injuries.

Officers from four ambulance and three fast response cars have been helping the injured from the crowd.

One teenager said she had been caught in the crush alongside a pregnant woman.

She was helped from the crowd after suffering an asthma and panic attack.

"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," she said.

"There was a pregnant woman in the crowd.

"It was horrible. I couldn't move. I couldn't get out."

Another teen said: "It was very scary. It was madness."

Many blamed organisers for the crowd trouble for giving the impression on flyers handed out in the town centre that the concert was free.

However, tickets were required to see JLS and 1,700 of them had all been allocated by 2pm, according to girls in the crowd.

Charlotte Robinosn, 16, from South Croydon: "Everyone thought they could get in.

"They were handing out flyers for the event in town saying it was a free concert but when we turned up we were told we couldn't get in.

"We wouldn't have turned up if we had known. We have been standing here for hours."

Katrine Clarke, 17, from Norbury said: "Everything could habve been handled better.

"The only reason so many people turned up was because we thought it was free. Nobody mentioned you needed tickets to get in."

Jessica Noble, 16, hurt her arm after being crushed in the crowd.

She said: "We turned up eraly top get in, but once the school kids turned up everyone started pushing.

"We were stuck at the front and we were being pushed forward by the people behind us and pushed back by the police.

"It was very scary. I am sure we will get the blame for any trouble but the only raeson so many of us showed up was because we thought it was free.

"I am really disappointed. We were given false information."

Naomi Horsford, 16, from Thornton Heath said: "There were too many people here and not enough people controlling things."

Elizabeth Ogbu, 17, from Streatham said: "I came a long way to see JLS. We all left colege early so we could get in then we found out we had to have tickets."

Chantelle Cope, 17, from New Addington said: "I got bruises on my hand from getting pushed in the crowd and I lost my mobile phone in the crowd."

About 20 police officers turned up around 6pm to push the crowds back and there were a couple of tussles with youths who refused to move away from the barriers.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said six people were being treated at the scene, one for an injured hand, one with abdominal pains and another with breathing difficulties.

A Croydon police spokeswoman said officers and ambulance crews were called shortly after 4pm.

"Five people were injured during the incident," she said.

"All are believed to be minor injuries.

"The most serious injury is thought to be a suspected fractured wrist."

The crowd began gathering at 4.30pm ahead of the band’s expected performance at 6pm.

Hardcore fans began lining up for the show in the cold early morning.

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