Man dies and woman found unconscious after kinky sex festival

The festival promised bondage wrestling workshops, amidst other events. Photo / Getty

A man was found dead in a tent and a woman airlifted to hospital yesterday after attending an outdoor sex festival.

The man, who was in his 50's, and the woman were understood to have been at the two-day Flamefest, a so-called "kinky rave", in woodland near Royal Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

Detectives and paramedics were called to a campsite shortly after 6am when the two people were discovered unconscious.

Attempts to revive the man were unsuccessful, and his death was last night being treated as "unexplained" while investigations continue. The unconscious woman was taken to hospital by air ambulance where she was being treated.

It remained unclear what caused the pair to lose consciousness. One man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said barbeque apparatus had been removed from a tent, raising the possibility they were overcome by fumes. Others claimed the man's death may have been drug-related.

The festival, in its second year, attracted controversy after boasting of being an event for "kinky, quirky, creative hedonists" who could "explore their wild side". According to its website, visitors can "explore kinks" and "play within the boundaries of our common-sense rules". There were also DJs and circus-style performers including fire-breathing acrobats and sword swallowers.

The location of the festival, which has a "discreet adult play area" with "fetish equipment" and an outdoor "dungeon" with dominatrixes, was a closely guarded secret. But when it emerged it would be held on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells the local media was inundated with complaints.

Last week, Dianne Hill, councillor for the ward where the festival was held, told a local radio station: "I'm no prude but this is the wrong place for this sort of thing. It's a residential area. A big worry is they say there will be coaches coming down - where are they going to park?"

Helen Smedley, festival organiser, said it was a private event and insisted no sex would be on show to the public. She was yesterday unavailable for comment.

However, local councillor Nasir Jamil, from Southborough Town Council, said yesterday that he was "appalled and disgusted" after seeing two couples having sex in a beauty spot where he normally walks with his children.

"The organiser has fooled the council by saying it was a music festival but it wasn't a music festival at all," he said.

"The whole community here is very shocked. Then we heard there was a death here and I was really, really shocked. I think there was illegal drug taking going on."

Zulhash Uddin, another councillor, called for a full review of safety measures at any future events in the borough, the Telegraph reported.

"It is so sad to hear that somebody has lost their life. Safety is a number one issue at events like these and this will trigger a review when we do get the council issuing permits and licensing.

"Obviously local people did raise concerns about the festival. I am sure this will be looked at by the appropriate agencies."

Police were yesterday seen focusing their investigation on a cordoned off large white tent.

One man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was woken by the sound of the air ambulance landing. He said he had heard that the pair may have been overcome by carbon monoxide. A post mortem on the cause of the man's death will be held in the next few days.

"We don't know for sure. It's so sad," he said. "Maybe they were cold and put a stove in their tent or something?"

A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police is making enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding an unexplained death in Tunbridge Wells."

A Tunbridge Wells Borough Council spokesman said the festival was authorised under a temporary licence and the authority had "no discretion to select the type of events held providing they meet the requirements of the relevant legislation".