GERMAN POLICE have said at least 10 festivalgoers have been killed following what they described as a “mass panic” stampede at the annual Love Parade techno music festival at Duisberg, near Dusseldorf.

At least 15 more have been critically injured, after a massive stampede broke out after local authorities tried to stop a crowd of several thousand people from entering an already-crowded area at the festival.

A further 10 are reported to have needed resuscitation, while another 40 are being treated for minor injuries.

German news agency DAPD says the victims were crushed and that emergency workers had trouble getting through to them.

Organisers believe that up to 1.4 million people have travelled to the city for this year’s festival.

The Love Parade festival is usually known as being relatively peaceful for an event of its size, with relatively few arrests for the number of people attending. It is known for being exceptionally crowded, however, with crushing a moderately frequent occurance.

Update: 19 people are now confirmed to have been killed. Read more