Were Bridge Guards Betting On Their Fate
A jumper who broke her ankle is hauled from the River Cherwell
Security guards employed by the council to warn people not to jump off Magdalen Bridge on Mayday morning allegedly failed to tell jumpers that they would be landing in less than two feet of water. Students spoken to by The Oxford Student claimed that guards were betting amongst themselves on how many revellers would throw themselves into the River Cherwell. Last night four people remained in hospital being treated for jump related injuries.
Forty people were treated by paramedics on the scene and twelve were rushed to hospital. Oxford City Council, who hired the security guards to protect fences installed on the side of the bridge, has refused to investigate the matter until they receive an official complaint. Enquiries by this newspaper as to who is responsible for safety at the annual event have exposed a maze of bureaucracy encompassing the city council, county council, emergency services and Magdalen College.
The allegation that security guards failed to do their job effectively has raised concerns about the council’s policy of employing private firms to steward large-scale public events. Neither Magdalen College nor Thames Valley Police had any part in the hiring of R&R Frontline Security. Thirty employees of the security firm were present at the May Day celebrations, where thousands of people traditionally gather to hear the choristers sing from Magdalen tower at 6am.
Although they were not allowed to physically obstruct anyone attempting to jump off the bridge, they were under orders to inform those standing on the bridge that the water level was low and it was particularly dangerous to jump. Yet this newspaper has heard that, far from making this clear, some guards simply stood back and watched as student after student hurled themselves over the 25 foot high parapet.
As ambulances ferried bleeding students to local hospitals, a group of students from St Hilda’s approached a guard on the Magdalen roundabout side of the bridge to ask why nobody was stopping the jumpers. They say they were told that the guards had a bet between them on exactly how many people would jump. One of the students told The Oxford Student: “We asked again, ‘aren’t you going to stop them?’ He just replied, ‘no, we’ve got a bet on,’ and turned around. I was shocked.”
The details of this incident have been corroborated by two other witnesses. Managing Director of R&R Richard Powell denied responsibility for the occurrences on May Day morning and insisted all his employees did their duty and warned potential jumpers of the dangers. “I was there myself and can assure you we did tell them,” he said.
Mr Powell reacted angrily to the allegations that guards were betting amongst themselves and refused to accept that any of his guards failed to deliver warnings: “We did everything we could possibly do but if these people want to jump then there’s nothing we can do to stop them.” He said an investigation would be launched into the gambling allegations and that enquiries would be made at a briefing next week. He maintained that all his staff “did their jobs well.”
Students interviewed by The Oxford Student give a different version of events and say that they were not verbally warned of the dangers. James Russell, a first year student at Oxford Brookes, was left with a broken ankle after making the jump. “I climbed the fence right next to a security guard who simply watched as I prepared to jump off the bridge. I was certainly never told that there was any danger and I didn’t see a sign,”he said.
An Oxford University graduate student, who did not want to be named, rubbished claims by the police and security firm that signs were clearly visible and that warnings about the low water level were being given out: “I had no idea that there was anything wrong with jumping off – everyone was doing it and none of the guards were making any attempt to stop them.
“If there were signs then the security guards were standing in front of them” He hit out at reports in the national press that gave the impression everyone who jumped was drunk. “I’d had nothing at all to drink. Had I known the river was so dangerous there’s no way I would have jumped. I just thought it was tradition; none of the security guards said anything to me as I climbed the fence.
Stephen Hunt, a student at Harris Manchester College, explained how he stood next to a guard who said nothing to him as he began to climb the six feet high metal barrier: “Afterwards I heard there were signs up warning people not to jump but I didn’t see any. Our group were one of the first few people in but nobody said anything to us.” Police estimated 12,000 people attended the celebration, 8,500 of whom were actually on the bridge.
Another partygoer who made the leap was a barman at St Peter’s college, Aldar Zhimbiev. He told The Oxford Student that he too began to climb the fence in the presence of a security guard: “It was obvious what I was doing – I was half-naked for a start. But the security guard said absolutely nothing about the water level.” Fallout from the events of Sunday morning has continued with police now rethinking whether it is safe to allow the bridge to remain open on May 1st.
A spokeswoman told The Oxford Student: “Those who jumped were only putting themselves at risk, despite repeated warnings, media reports about the dangers, and six foot high barriers. The police do not have powers of arrest in these situations. “The actions of those who chose to ignore our repeated warnings could have effects on the event as a whole and it is hoped that this will serve as a very hard lesson and people will think twice about jumping next year.”
“At the moment, closure of the bridge next year is only a consideration but it would be a shame if the activity of just a hundred people meant that thousands were denied the opportunity to enjoy this traditional celebration,” a colleague added. A spokesman for the John Radcliffe Hospital expressed disappointment that the actions of a few occupied valuable NHS resources.
Seven ambulance vehicles were on standby at the event with 16 members of ambulance staff stationed by the side of the river. “Staff in our hospitals are busy enough over the Bank Holiday weekend without having to spend time and attention dealing with people who have deliberately undertaken activities which they knew could cause them harm,” he commented. The university has expressed concern at the bridge jumping but admitted it cannot take any disciplinary action against those involved.
“May Day has been celebrated in Oxford for centuries, but the practice of bridge jumping is a new and highly dangerous addition to the event which, as this year demonstrated, can have serious repercussions. Those attending also have a responsibility to behave in an appropriate manner so as not to endanger themselves or others,” said a spokeswoman.
5th May 2005