Festival Tent Tragedy
Daughter Discovers Father Dead in Tent at Download Festival, Police Say Not Suspicious
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Key Points
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Caitlyn described discovering her father as blue but peaceful, lying motionless on the floor of the tent, after being dragged out of the tent by family members.
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Emmilou Firshman (49) and her partner Scott rushed to Paul’s tent to help pull him out, with Emmilou noting he was in a strange position and that he was freezing as they found him.
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A volunteer nurse arrived on scene and provided immediate assistance as emergency crews responded after the family asked for help.
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Officials say the cause of death remains unknown and could take up to 15 weeks for a definitive determination.
A father on his first-ever camping festival was found dead in his tent at Download Festival on June 11, 2026. Paul John Whitley, 50, from Sittingbourne, Kent, had driven to Donington Park with his 19-year-old daughter Caitlyn the day before. She found him unresponsive at around 10:30am after he failed to answer her morning call, according to Coventry Telegraph.
Leicestershire Police confirmed the death is not being treated as suspicious. The cause of death remains unknown and could take up to 15 weeks to determine, Daily Star reported.
Caitlyn's Morning Call That Got No Reply
Paul and Caitlyn arrived at the festival on June 10 and pitched their tents side by side. They had an early night after Paul had a coffee and a cigarette, according to Lancs Live. The next morning, Caitlyn woke around 9am and stayed in her tent for about 30 minutes before shouting good morning. There was no reply.
By 10:30am, Caitlyn entered his tent. She found her father in a crawling position at the front, motionless and cold to the touch. "Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing him in his tent," she later said, according to Birmingham Mail. She described him as blue but peaceful.
Family and a Stranger Rush In to Help
Caitlyn contacted her mother, Emmilou Firshman, 49, who was also at the festival. Emmilou and her partner Scott rushed to the tent. Emmilou noted Paul was in a strange position and that he was freezing as they pulled him out. The family worked together to get him clear of the tent, Coventry Telegraph reported.
A volunteer nurse who heard the commotion came over and provided immediate help until emergency crews arrived. The family praised both the nurse and the festival's wider response. "He looked peaceful," Emmilou said, according to Daily Star.
A Metal Fan Who Finally Made It to a Festival
Paul was a galvaniser and the primary carer for his mother, who had recently suffered a stroke. Friends and family called him a "proper dad joker" and a massive metal fan. Download 2026 was his first camping festival. He came to see bands including Limp Bizkit and Hollywood Undead, according to Birmingham Mail.
Caitlyn, a trainee car mechanic, had picked her father up and driven him to the site herself. The trip was meant to be a shared adventure. His death now leaves his stroke-affected mother in need of urgent care support, Lancs Live reported.
Cause of Death Unknown, Investigation Ongoing
Leicestershire Police confirmed the death is not suspicious. A coroner has told the family that a full cause of death could take up to 15 weeks to establish, according to Daily Star. No drugs or foul play are suggested. The festival draws between 75,000 and 80,000 attendees each year, and has seen other medical deaths in recent years, including two in 2022.
Download's organisers say they run a "robust 24-hour welfare operation" at the site. Every death at a major UK festival triggers a review by the local Safety Advisory Group, which includes councils and emergency services. That process is now expected to begin, according to Yahoo News.
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