Comedy Festival evacuated due to 'lightning warning’

Thousands were evacuated from Ludlow Castle Comedy Festival on Sunday due to a lightning threat.

Comedian Ivo Graham was mid-set when the show was halted and fans were moved to the town centre.

The power was shut down for safety, but spectators were let back in around an hour later once the storm passed.

Comics including Ivo Graham, host Stephen Bailey and Joel Dommett, presenter of ITV’s The Masked Singer, were seen evacuating.

Other acts set to perform on Sunday evening include headliners Tom Davis, Katherine Ryan and Russell Howard.

In a statement, Ludlow Castle said: "A big thank you to everyone for joining us for the first ever Ludlow Castle Comedy Festival. We would also like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during the precautionary evacuation, which assisted us in getting the venue open as quickly as possible, once the risk of further lightning strikes had passed over."

"Live at Ludlow Comedy Festival was subject to a temporary Show Stop and venue evacuation caused by an Adverse Weather situation within close proximity to the venue."

"In-line with our pre-agreed Adverse Weather Plan and on the advice from our on-site Event Safety Advisor, a controlled venue evacuation was initiated when an electrical storm we were tracking, produced lightning strikes that fell within the defined safety distances and other parameters of our Lightning Plan."