Twenty-seven people have been left stranded around 50ft above the ground after a rollercoaster broke down at Pleasurewood Hills theme park in Suffolk. Emergency services were called to the popular Lowestoft attraction on Bank Holiday Monday after the Wipeout rollercoaster came to a halt with passengers still on board. Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the carriages stopped approximately 15 metres – around 50ft – above the ground. Officials confirmed that none of the passengers were trapped upside down. Firefighters from three stations were deployed to the theme park, with specialist crews using advanced rescue-at-height equipment to bring the passengers safely back to the ground.
Passengers stranded for hours
The 27 passengers were reported to have been stranded on the ride for several hours while emergency teams worked to establish the safest way to evacuate them. A Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “The carriages, which came to a stop on the track, are approximately 15 metres in the air, but not upside down. “Crews will be using advanced rescue at height equipment to bring down the ride passengers.” Images from the scene showed emergency crews working beneath the stationary rollercoaster as the rescue operation continued.
Wipeout opened in 2007
Wipeout is one of Pleasurewood Hills’ major attractions and has operated at the park since 2007. The high-speed rollercoaster sends passengers forwards through a series of twists, turns, a loop and cobra rolls before reversing and travelling back along the track. The ride reaches a maximum height of more than 130ft and underwent a reported £1 million transformation towards the end of 2024. It is described by Pleasurewood Hills as the UK’s only remaining Vekoma Boomerang rollercoaster. Firefighters remained at the scene on Monday evening as efforts continued to bring all 27 passengers safely down from the ride. There were no reports in the information available at that stage of passengers suffering serious injuries.
Originally published by UKNIP.
