Thorpe Park’s newest ride, The Slammer, has been forced to close until further notice after a technical fault left riders stuck in mid-air a day after it opened.
Hailed as Europe’s first sky-swat, the ride’s safety mechanism was activated as it detected a fault and people had to be helped to the ground for routine medical checks. No one was hurt.
Thorpe Park officials closed the ride on 29 March and it remains closed at the time of going to press. The rest of the park is operating normally and is fully open to the public.
The Slammer, built and designed by US ride manufacturer S&S Arrow, opened at the park on 28 March and offers riders a 105ft (32m) free fall.
Two giant rotating paddles turn on their axis’ at the peak before ‘slamming’ towards the ground at speeds above 30 mph (48 kmph) and performing a 360 degree spin.
