‘She went to Leeds Festival 2019 and never came home’

A teenager who had just been accepted onto an apprenticeship died the next day after taking the drug MDMA at Leeds Festival 2019.

Anya Buckley, 17, from Oldham, died at the festival site of Bramham Park in the early hours of 24 August 2019 after taking a number of illicit drugs.

Her aunt, Anna Short, said Anya had successfully interviewed for an office administration apprenticeship the day before the festival, which she attended with a group of friends and her boyfriend.

She said: “She made a mistake and paid for it.”

She added: “She was a typical teenager – just out with her friends all the time, enjoying herself.

“Her life was just starting to come together…and that that was all taken away.”

Around 90,000 people are set to attend the popular annual festival this year, which is paired with Reading Festival and runs from Friday to Sunday.

Ms Short said her niece’s death was ultimately from taking MDMA which was stronger than expected. David Celino, 16, also died after taking the drug at Leeds Festival in 2022.

Following an inquest into Anya’s death in January, West Yorkshire coroner Kevin McLoughlin sent a preventing future death report to Leeds City Council.

It noted: “As teenagers aged 16-17 are not legally permitted to be in public houses or night clubs, it seems anomalous that they should be free to spend the night in an environment where illicit drugs and alcohol are prevalent”.

However, people aged 16 and over are still permitted to attend Leeds and Reading without a ticket-holding guardian – something Ms Short said needed to change.

She said: “Whether people feel it’s realistic or not, personally I don’t think children under the age of 18 should be able to go to a festival.

“People go to a festival to enjoy themselves, let their hair down…they’re going to have a drink, they’re going to do whatever.

“And if that’s all new to them, and they’re exploring, and they’re in that phase of doing things for the first time, they haven’t got a clue.”

Festival organisers have been contacted for comment.

Ms Short has also called for better education for young people around drugs after one of Anya’s close friends told her she didn’t learn about it in school.

Ms Short said she believed a lack of education around drugs, and the fear of getting in trouble, prevented Anya’s friends from getting her help sooner when she started becoming poorly.

“There is a stigma attached to drugs and substances,” she said.

“It’s just about opening up those conversations and being informed and removing that judgement to create safe spaces where young people feel able to speak up, ask questions, access support.”