From the Observer archive, 31 July 1960: Riot at the Beaulieu jazz festival

The bucolic peace of Hampshire is shattered when fighting mars a set from Acker Bilk's bandThirty-nine people were hurt, three of them seriously when, as a BBC commentator said, "things got out of hand" at the Beaulieu jazz festival last night.The BBC man made this comment as young jazz fans clambered over the tubular scaffolding platform on which the television arc-lamps were placed. A minute or two later he said: "It is obvious things cannot continue like this" and the programme closed down.Th...

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