Northampton club crush inquest: Coach times not thought through

An inquest into the deaths of two students crushed in a nightclub has heard organisers had not given much thought to staggering coach times.

Nabila Nanfuka, 22, and Laurene-Danielle Jackson, 19, were killed at the Lava and Ignite nightclub in Northampton in October 2011.

Northampton County Hall heard there were 14 calls in 30 minutes alerting clubbers to departing coaches.

Jurors have also seen footage of people climbing over each other to escape.

A witness who helped organised the event, Koyode Ossai, admitted that universities had not been told to stagger arrival times.

Previously, the jury heard between 03:10 BST and 03:40 BST, DJs repeatedly told clubbers to "leave now or you will miss your coach" - he said that those who failed to get on a coach would be left in Northampton and explained there was no room in the Travelodge or the Holiday Inn.

The DJ said "Don't forget your coach will leave you, your coach will leave you."

The coroner asked Mr Ossai if anyone had told the DJ to say this to which he replied: "No-one would have been instructed to say all of that."

CCTV showed hundreds of people packed together. Police identified individuals and showed how they were unable to progress in any direction.

Witnesses who had attended the club have described how they heard calls for their coaches and rushed from the dance floor to the exit where they became caught in a crush of people.

No criminal charges have been brought against anyone following the crush.

Ms Nanfuka, from Neasden in north London, died at Northampton General Hospital on 19 October.

Ms Jackson, from Wembley, died at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital on 6 November.

Both were found unconscious on the stairs inside the club and died as a result of asphyxia.

The inquest should last for three weeks.