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Boy airlifted to hospital after reported rollercoaster fall in Yorkshire Boy airlifted to hospital after reported rollercoaster fall in Yorkshire
(30 minutes later)
A boy has been airlifted to hospital after an incident at Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire. A six-year-old boy has been airlifted to hospital after an incident at Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire.
Yorkshire air ambulance said a boy had been transported to Leeds General Infirmary. The circumstances surrounding the incident have not been confirmed but one witness said he saw a child fall from a rollercoaster. A witness said he saw the child fall “face down” from the Twister rollercoaster shortly before midday on Thursday.
The Twitter user posted pictures of an air ambulance at the theme park saying a child “fell face down about 20-30 feet to ground”. Posting pictures of an air ambulance and paramedics at the scene, the Twitter user said he saw the boy fall “about 20-30ft” to the ground.
North Yorkshire police said: “Police were called to reports of a medical incident involving a child at Lightwater Valley theme park near Ripon at 11.30am today. North Yorkshire police said the boy, who was conscious when officers arrived, had been taken to hospital, where his condition was not believed to be life-threatening.
“Officers are currently at the scene. Further updates will be provided when available.” The force said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had been notified about the incident, the circumstances of which are not yet known. A spokeswoman for Yorkshire air ambulance said: “I can confirm that we attended and transported a child to Leeds General infirmary.”
A spokeswoman for Yorkshire air ambulance said: “I can confirm that we attended and transported a child to Leeds General Infirmary.” The witness said he saw the child fall from the Twister rollercoaster, a 1,300ft-long ride on which people board a waltzer-shaped carriage for “an epic ascent to the treetops”, according to the theme park’s website.
The witness said he saw the child fall from the Twister rollercoaster, where riders board a waltzer-shaped carriage on “an epic ascent to the treetops”, according to the theme park’s website.Although the circumstances of the incident are not yet known, it comes nearly 18 years after a 20-year-old woman died when two carriages collided on the ride, in June 2001, less than a month after the French-built ride opened at the theme part near Ripon.The 1,300ft-long ride, then named Treetop Twister, was renamed Twister after the incident. The French manufacturer of the ride, Reverchon Industries SA, was fined £120,000 for safety breaches, while Lightwater Valley Attractions and an electrician, Eric Butters, were fined £35,000 and £2,500 respectively in December 2006. Nearly 18 years ago, a 20-year-old woman died when two carriages collided on the ride, less than a month after it opened at the theme park near Ripon.
The French manufacturer of the ride, Reverchon Industries SA, was fined £120,000 for safety breaches, while Lightwater Valley Attractions and an electrician, Eric Butters, were fined £35,000 and £2,500 respectively in December 2006.
The Twister is one of the park’s “ultimate adventure” attractions, described as being “full of seriously tight turns, giving riders the impression that they might not make it around the next corner, with the threat of plummeting into the treetops”.
In 2015, a ride attendant was spun 40ft into the air on one of the Twister’s waltzer-style carriages when her colleague started the rollercoaster during a routine check.
Sasha Higgins told the Northern Echo she was “completely traumatised” and signed off work for stress after her co-worker activated the ride as a joke while she was checking seatbelts before opening. The theme park said the ride operator responsible was immediately dismissed.
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