Popworld: Young woman seriously injured in crossfire of altercation at popular Sheffield nightclub

Robyn, aged 21, from Sheffield, was enjoying a birthday night out when she was caught in the crossfire of a fight that erupted at Popworld in Sheffield city centre.

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She was enjoying a celebratory drink with her family when she was suddenly thrown into some doors and knocked unconscious.

After hitting her head, she suffered a seizure and her family quickly called out for staff to assist.

Her mum Jules explained that Robyn was left on the ground without a privacy curtain while they waited for paramedics to arrive.

She claimed that despite the medics struggling to communicate with Robyn and her family, staff did not turn the lights on, lower the music or clear the dance floor.

“There were still people dancing around and we were thinking, are you serious? It was just awful,” said Jules.

Doctors informed Robyn's family that she would not be allowed to drive for six months.

After a CT scan, they were relieved to find that her brain was clear of any damage. However, her condition remained serious.

Jules continued: “She was in the hospital for over 12 hours and was released after the CT scan came back clear, but we need to monitor her since she's never had a seizure before.”

The family’s concerns didn’t end with the initial hospital visit though. Robyn was back in the hospital the following night due to symptoms including pins and needles in her fingers and thumbs, as well as head pains.

Though doctors couldn’t find anything alarming with the CT scan, Robyn is now being referred to a neurologist.

Jules expressed the emotional and financial toll this incident has taken on their family: “She can't work, she can't drive - she lives in Sheffield and works in Barnsley, so how do we pay her rent?”

“I’m not a wealthy person myself: I go to work but it’s peanuts compared to what she needs.

“I won’t be able to pay for rent and cars and feed her as well as ourselves.”

She added: “We’ve still got constant worry at the moment because they’ve said her brain might still swell or it could start bleeding.”

Jules explained that when Robyn gets so much as a headache, she immediately has to rush back to hospital just in case.

“The not knowing is devastating - her whole life has been put on hold and put in jeopardy now,” said Jules.

Jules feels that Popworld and other club venues across Sheffield need to consider their responses to such incidents.

“I am totally devastated about the way it’s been handled,” Jules said.

“I think better health and safety, more training for bouncers and quicker response times are needed: Where I work, we immediately use a screen to protect someone's privacy if they fall.”

In response to the incident, a spokesperson for Popworld Sheffield said: "We prioritise the safety and security of our guests and have a range of measures in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable night out,”

“We are satisfied that the team took the appropriate immediate action but as a matter of course following any incident, we fully review all safety protocols to ensure we take any learnings and continue to provide a secure environment for all our guests.”

“Our thoughts are with the victim, and we wish them a speedy recovery.”

An online fundraiser has been set up to help Robyn while she is unable to work - visit the JustGiving page here.

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