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Damage To Dummies Prompts Ride Rethink

Damage To Dummies Prompts Ride Rethink

Thorpe Park ordered experts to redesign its £20m new rollercoaster - after dummies lost limbs during tests.

A life-sized church housing The Swarm ride was remodelled following dry runs that saw legs smashed off at least two dummies.

The theme park issued a statement revealing other dummies were scratched during the tests, prompting "drastic measures" ahead of the ride's launch on March 15.

Bosses said technicians spent a week resolving problems with the "winged" rollercoaster - which is designed to give riders the impression they are about crash into the surrounding landscape.

Mike Vallis, divisional director at Thorpe Park, said he was now 100% satisfied the ride met safety standards.

"We have been planning for The Swarm for almost two years now, and we've pushed the boundaries to the absolute limit because 'extreme' is what our thrill-seeking customers demand," he said

"The ride-testing phase is absolutely crucial in ensuring extreme fun doesn't compromise safety, and we work with the very best teams in the world to ensure we reach the gold standard in safety.

"So if that means re-modelling a church it's taken us a year to build, then so be it.

"To lift the lid on what goes on behind the scenes of building a monster rollercoaster such as The Swarm is quite unprecedented, but we want people to understand the level of planning, precision and care that goes into creating their ultimate thrill-seeking experience."