Dartmoor hotel balcony collapses leaving several guests injured after 60ft fall

It is reported 13 people were on or below the balcony when it fell.

Bovey Castle Hotel in Dartmoor National Park near North Bovey (Google Maps)

A balcony at a five star Dartmoor Hotel has collapsed sending a number of people standing on it to the ground.

There were 13 people were on or below the feature at Bovey Castle Hotel when it fell.

Eight people were injured in the incident but none are said to be life-threatening, Exeter Express & Echo reports.

A spokesman for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said paramedics were called to the scene around 6: 54pm on Sunday.

He added:"One appliance attended after a balcony had collapsed and there were potentially 13 casualties.

"The ambulance was also in attendance and no-one was trapped. Our role was to cordon off the scene and make it safe.

"It was about a 20 metre high balcony and some of the people were on the balcony and some were below."

An investigation has been launched into how this happened.

The hotel is set in an estate of 275 acres of moorland and was first opened as a hotel and golf course in 1930 by Great Western Railways.

A spokesman for the Bovey Castle Hotel said: "At approximately 3am on Sunday morninga balcony on one of the guest lodges located separate to the hotel within its grounds partially collapsed, falling 2.6m during what we believe was an impromptu party.

"As a result seven guests were treated for minor injuries but thankfully no-one was seriously injured.

"We are taking this incident extremely seriously and we are liaising with the relevant authorities to establish why it happened.”