Twenty-seven people have been rescued after becoming trapped on a rollercoaster at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Lowestoft, Suffolk, for up to three hours.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the Wipeout ride at about 13:36 BST after the attraction stopped with passengers stranded approximately 15 metres (49ft) above the ground.
Eyewitness Richard Lines, who was visiting the park with his two children, said a power cut appeared to have affected several rides at the attraction.
Video footage showed the rollercoaster carriages stopping high above the ground before briefly moving back and forth and eventually coming to a complete standstill.
Firefighters used an aerial ladder to reach the passengers and rescue them one by one.
According to the fire service, all 27 passengers had been safely brought down by 17:10. No injuries were reported.
Lines said he felt particularly sorry for passengers who were trapped at the front and back of the ride for nearly three hours.
Pleasurewood Hills said it was “incredibly grateful” for the way the affected riders handled the incident and thanked their families for their “understanding and patience”.
The theme park also apologised to those affected and said complimentary tickets would be offered as compensation.
The Wipeout, described by Pleasurewood Hills as its flagship rollercoaster, stands more than 40 metres (131ft) tall. It was launched in 2007 and underwent a £1 million transformation during the 2024-2025 winter season, including the installation of a new train with waist-restraint lap bars.
The ride had previously experienced a breakdown in 2017, when a passenger had to be rescued.
Pleasurewood Hills said the “safety and wellbeing of our guests is always our highest priority” and that it was reviewing the incident.
SOURCE: BBC
