Rollercoaster slipped off track sparking 'horrific screams' as rider thrown to ground
One eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was on the ride as the drama unfolded and there had been engineers working on it before it set off.
An eyewitness has described “horrific screams” after he said a rollercoaster came off the track and sent a reveller to the ground.
An air ambulance was called to Oakwood Theme Park, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, at around 1pm on Sunday (October 23) and the complex was evacuated for a “serious” medical emergency.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has since launched an investigation following the incident on the Treetops ride.
One eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was on the ride as the drama unfolded and there had been engineers working before it started.
He said: “Less than a minute into the ride I heard horrific screams and noticed the back end of the coaster slipping and sliding off the track and a girl crying in severe distress and what appeared to be the bar raised.
"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. I saw a mobile phone and a flip flop on the grass and realised someone must have come off the ride.
"A group of girls were in shock and I asked them if they were ok which clearly they weren't.
"When I went to retrieve my bag I saw a gentleman lying face down with a member of staff and a paramedic. He wasn't moving but staff later told me he was conscious and talking."
The witness said that an air ambulance arrived within 20 minutes and police officers were at the scene.
Within an hour, all visitors were reportedly told to leave the park and their details were taken by staff for a refund.
The site has remained shut since. The Treetops ride is a family rollercoaster that travels through the woodlands that surround the park.
It is described as being "high up in the treetops" before twisting, bending and dropping through the tree canopy. It is one of the site’s "most popular rollercoasters" and has been a feature of the park for nearly 30 years. It has a top speed of around 22mph and stands just over 26ft high.
The theme park was closed for the rest of the day. An air ambulance was seen leaving the park shortly before 4pm on Sunday and headed in the direction of Swansea.
