Boy, 6, in hospital after falling from rollercoaster at Lightwater Valley
Written by News on 30/05/2019
A six-year-old boy has been airlifted to hospital after falling from a rollercoaster at Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire.
He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary by air ambulance, but his condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
Pictures show the helicopter landing at the park, near Ripon in North Yorkshire.
A witnesses told Sky News that the boy had fallen up to 15ft (4.5m).
Mark Charnley said he was queuing for the Twister ride with his daughter when he looked up and saw the boy “hanging backwards outside of the actual carriage”.
“He’s obviously got himself out of his restraint somehow,” said Mr Charnley
“Two seconds after that he actually fell out of the carriage to the floor, maybe around 12-15ft he fell.
“After that everybody in the queue, everybody around, started shouting to the operator of the ride to shut it down as he hadn’t noticed what had gone on.
“Two guys dove over the actual barriers to get to the lad who was on the floor.”
Police said they were called out at 11.30am and that the boy was conscious when they arrived.
Student Gemma Savage, 20, died on the Twister ride in 2001 when two carriages collided less than a month after it opened.
An inquest into the incident heard the ride had not been wired up properly.
The Twister is described on Lightwater Valley’s website as a “spinning roller coaster… with passengers boarding a strange waltzer-shaped ride car and heading on an epic ascent to the treetops”.
Police said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been informed about the incident this morning.
Lightwater Valley said in a statement: “We can confirm that following an incident on one of our rides this morning, a child is receiving treatment at a local hospital.
“Emergency services have confirmed the child was conscious when they arrived at the scene and his condition is not believed to be life threatening.
“The ride remains closed at the current time but the rest of the park is still open.”
(c) Sky News 2019: Boy, 6, in hospital after falling from rollercoaster at Lightwater Valley
