TRAGEDY struck when a man died as Christmas celebrations and shopping were in full flow in Wellington town centre on Saturday morning (December 21).

A massive emergency services response was witnessed by Wellington Churches Together carol singers, members of the town’s silver band, and the Rotary Club of Wellington’s Father Christmas.

Two double-crewed land ambulances, a paramedic first responder car, and two police cars rushed to High Street shortly after 11 am after a man collapsed with a suspected heart attack.

Paramedics worked to stabilise the patient before taking him to Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton, where he was later declared dead.

One shopper who witnessed the incident told the Wellington Weekly: “It is so sad, right on Christmas with everybody out celebrating and enjoying the festivities and singing and then this happens right in front of us.

“My heart goes out to his poor family.

“But, whatever you say about the NHS you could not fault what a magnificent response there was to try to help him.”

Churches Together carol singers were performing for 45 minutes near the town council’s High Street Christmas tree at the time.

It was the conclusion of a week of touring and singing in local public houses as they collected for the Children’s Hospice South West.

Rotary’s Santa had also toured areas of Wellington and Rockwell Green during the week, before he stopped next to the carol singers on Saturday morning.

The silver band was performing outside the nearby Co-operative supermarket on Saturday morning, and will be returning to the town centre on Christmas Eve from 10 am to 12 noon.