COASTER HORROR
Oakwood Theme Park: Screams heard as reveller ‘thrown to the ground’ after 26ft-high theme park rollercoaster ‘derails’
HORRIFIC screams were heard as a 26ft-high theme park rollercoaster allegedly derailed and threw a rider to the ground yesterday, an eyewitness has claimed.
Aaron McCalmon, 47, told of his terror as a man with his teenage daughter dangled out of the Treetops ride with his legs stuck at Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
4
4
Mr McCalmon said he had been waiting with his daughter to go on the rollercoaster which reaches speeds of 22mph when he heard a "big bang".
And he then describes how the horror unfolded with the man desperately trying to hang on.
Aaron said: "I heard a big bang and saw the man hanging out with his legs stuck in the carriage.
"He was trying to pull himself back in but as it was coming down, it went around and he fell out.
"He was with his teenage daughter. As he fell out the people behind had to hold his daughter to stop her from falling out."
READ MORE UK NEWS
Mr McCalmon, of Port Talbot, South Wales, said he had previously been turned away from the ride because it was being checked by engineers.
He said: "This was our second attempt to go on the ride. The first time they were working on that carriage so said to come back.
"I did see the guy checking the bars before it went, but it still opened."
Emergency services rushed to the theme park on Sunday while the site was evacuated.
Were you at the theme park and saw what happened? Contact The Sun's news desk on 020 7782 4100 or [email protected], or email us on 07423 720 250
Sean Hayes, of, London, was visiting with his wife and daughter when he heard screams just one minute into the Treetops ride.
He said: "I shouted for the ride to stop and staff were clearly panicking to get it stopped.
"It went on for a bit before it grinded to a halt. We had to evacuate the ride on a bend and staff were present to help people off."
Mr Hayes said he went to collect his bag after getting off the ride before he saw a man lying on the ground.
He said that the man was laying face down on the floor and being treated by paramedics, and a flip flop and phone was also on the ground after the incident.
Most read in The Sun
He added: "Within 20 mins an air ambulance arrived and I also saw a lot of police turning up.
"He wasn't moving but staff later told me he was conscious and talking."
Visitors were evacuated from the theme park about an hour after the incident.
An air ambulance arrived to the "serious" medical emergency within 20 minutes, the eyewitness claimed, and police were also there.
Oakwood Theme Park describes the ride as: "Set high up in the treetops, you’ll twist, bend, and drop through the tree canopy."
In a statement yesterday, Oakwood Theme Park said: “As a result of an incident at Oakwood today we have closed the park to the public with immediate effect."
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive it now investigating the latest incident at the park.
The spokesperson said a man was airlifted to hospital by the Wales Air Ambulance.
They said: “We invstigate Health and Safety law and Health and Safety breaches.
“We need to find out what, if anything, has happened at Oakwood Theme Park, and we need to establish is there is a work-related element involved.
“We will continue to work alongside the Dyfed-Powys Police in the investigation.”
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
A spokeswoman for Health and Safety Executive says they are "aware" of the incident.
Details surrounding the circumstances of the incident are still being accessed.
4
4
Topics