A church has been forced to axe its carolling events this Christmas after they went viral on TikTok and thousands attended.

St Peter’s Church in Bethnal Green, east London, which has run its annual carol service in Columbia Road for more than a decade, said they presented a “danger to public safety” after 7,000 people attended its last event.

Usually, on every Wednesday in the lead up to Christmas, the church carries out a small sing-a-long in the street, where a local church piano would be wheeled outside.

An archdeacon would then lead a crowd, around 200 strong, in songs like We Three Kings and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.

After two years on hold due to the COVID pandemic, it made its return last year.

This year however, on the 6 December carol service, thousands piled into the area crowding out the carollers and causing concerns about public safety.

The remaining two services of the year will no longer go ahead.

Read more from Sky News:
Next pulls Pan Am Christmas jumper over Lockerbie
Kate takes young royals to help out at baby bank

Rev Heather Atkinson, vicar of St Peter’s, said in a statement: “With regret we formally announce that carols will not be taking place on Wednesday 13th and 20th December on Columbia Road this year.

“The crowds of over 7,000 present last week were of such volume on the road that there was a danger to public safety.

“We are grateful to God and to those working at the event that there were no serious injuries.

“Columbia Road carols has been a great partnership between the shopkeepers on the road, the local community and the parish church.

“As the church we cherish these relationships. This decision is in support of our community which had become dangerously overrun.

“Furthermore, this decision is on the strong advice of the police and local authority.

“We sincerely hope that the shops will now be able to remain open on Wednesday evenings.”

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Shops in Columbia Road, known for the city’s “finest flower market” and often frequented by social media influencers, will remain open every Wednesday before Christmas for late-night shopping from 5pm to 9pm.

Related posts:

Mountain rescuers search for missing 84-year-old man in Scottish beauty spot Hottest September day for Scotland since 1906 – but thunderstorms are on the way Government opens consultation on plans to make COVID vaccination compulsory for frontline health staff 30,000 trees to be felled in UK as climate change drives disease PM cancels visit after family member tests positive for COVID ‘No convincing case’ for ‘Britcoin’ cryptocurrency, committee says Migration policy to ‘seal off all loopholes’ as officials work towards deportation flights ‘by summer’ What experts are saying about the chance of a heatwave in the UK this summer Harry Kane ‘proud’ of Dele Alli for talking about childhood trauma Rugby tackle height to be lowered as concerns over concussions and head injuries grow Baby was inside tent that was struck by car which veered off the road and injured nine people Suits ewe: ‘Britain’s loneliest sheep’ is doing ‘absolutely phenomenal’ in new home