Reading Festival goer burns ordeal on chaotic last night

A Reading Festival-goer has described her horror at suffering second degree burns on the last day of the event.

The last day has been likened to ‘a war zone’ as fires raged across camping areas and cases of dangerous liquids being thrown into the fires were reported.

Now, one festival-goer has shared her story after suffering burns, the ordeal of getting medical care, and the long term consequences she’s been left with.

Leone Cook, 18 from Kent, attended the festival last year and this year, and was sat near a camp fire when the liquid suddenly exploded over her.

Her mum, Tracey Cook, 51, said: “We’re not sure what it was, but whatever it was it it went all over her, from her ankle up to her thigh, and on her face as well.

“That was horrific.”

She was then assisted by a security guard, but they say care was “poor” and she was not immediately taken to hospital for treatment.

READ MORE: Reading Festival compared to a 'war zone' as fires break out throughout the camps

Leone Cook said: “They said it was too hard an ambulance to get to where I was, but we had seen ambulances go past for other things during the day.

“I thought the medical service was really poor, but the police were really good.

“They asked for an ambulance but Reading [Festival] refused to send one.

“I got told I had to walk to the nearest medical tent.

“I couldn’t be carried, because no one could touch my leg because of the burns.”

Severe burning on the leg of Leon Cook, which occurred at Reading Festival. Credit Leone Cook

This led to her undergoing an ordeal of trudging 40 minutes to get help from the medical tent, which she got to with the help of her boyfriend and police officers.

Eventually she was taken by ambulance to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

After spending a night at the hospital in Reading, she began receiving care in Maidstone, and is now under going treatment at a burns unit in East Grinstead.

Care she received involved medication to dampen the pain and hours of surgery to remove burnt skin.

he burning that happened to Leone Cooke at Reading Festival. Credit: Leone Cook

Ms Cook said the time waiting to get to hospital “made things worse” as her treatment was delayed.

The incident will have long term consequences on her life.

And in the short term, she will no longer be able to attend the University of Portsmouth as intended.

Ms Cook explained: “I’m going to have to go on a gap year because I can’t walk.

“It’s going to take at least two months to be able to go out again.

“I’m not allowed to be exposed to the sun for at least two months and the burns will take a year to heal.

“I’ll also have to use factor 50 whenever I’m out in the sun for the rest of my life.”

Burns to the face of Leone Cook, which occurred at Reading Festival. Credit: Leone Cook

She has also had to cancel driving lessons and is unable to work.

Ms Cook went to Reading Festival in 2021 but said this year was worse.

When asked why she thought that, she said: “Probably just because of covid no one has been out.”

READ MORE: Reading Festival 2022 aftermath shows tents being left behind 

The scenes at the festival this year have been compared to Woodstock ’99, which erupted in chaos on its last night and was the subject of the documentary ‘Trainwreck’ which was released on Netflix in August.

“I’ve heard of that film [ Trainwreck] but haven’t watched it.

“I don’t know, last year it was fine and this year it was horrible.

Leone Cook having her legs bandaged after being burned at Reading Festival. Credit: Leone Cook

“Last year we could hear things happening in the distance, but there was no one throwing things last year, I didn’t see anyone setting tents on fire, but this year it was horrible.

“People were throwing things over the hedge like poles and bottles of urine, and I could hear people shouting let’s make a molotov cocktail!”

READ MORE: 37 arrests made as armed officers flood Reading Festival

Her mum argued security was inadequate and the organisers, Festival Republic, need to be held responsible.

Mrs Cook said: “I’ve complained but all I’ve got is automated calls and emails.

“Because of the explosion that hit Leone someone else’s tent caught fire and melted.

“The safeguarding was just not there.

“Reading Festival need to be held accountable for not being prepared and having the facilities to deal with what happened.

“What went on that day needs to be addressed.”

eone Cook at Reading Festival with her boyfriend, who her helped her in the ordeal. Credit: Leone Cook

Festival Republic is investigating Ms Cook’s case.

A Festival Republic spokesperson said: “We are in in touch with the family involved in this reported incident and are working with all authorities and medical services whilst we investigate this.”

As for the wider reports of fires and disorder, a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “There were some fires in the campsite on Sunday, but festival security had water pumps and extinguished these within minutes.

“There was some disorder in the campsite at about 4.30pm on Sunday, but this was dealt with within minutes by festival security and about fifty people were ejected from the site.

“Those ejected were safeguarded by the festival organisers, Thames Valley Police, and British Transport Police to ensure they could get home safely.”