Boy, 6, airlifted to hospital following 'medical incident' at Lightwater Valley theme park in North Yorkshire
Emergency services have been called to a ‘serious incident’ at the Lightwater Valley theme park in North Stainley, North Yorkshire.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance and North Yorkshire Police confirmed a young boy, aged 6, was taken to Leeds General Infirmary a short time ago.
Just saw a kid fall off the Twister rollercoaster at #Lightwatervalley
— Simon Moran (@sirimo) May 30, 2019
A spokeswoman for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance said: ‘I can confirm that we attended and transported a child to Leeds General Infirmary.’
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed they attended the incident but could not provide any further detail.
Police said the boy was concsious when officers arrived at the scene. His condition is not thought to be life-threatening.
Details of what caused the boy to fall have not yet been officially confirmed.
But eyewitnesses said they saw a young boy fall from a ride.
One Twitter user posted that a child had ‘fallen off’ the Twister rollercoaster at the theme park.
He mustn’t have been strapped in right, or too small for ride. As it went down the fast bit towards the ‘souvenir’ camera he slide out and over top of carriage. Fell face down about 20/30 feet to ground.
— Simon Moran (@sirimo) May 30, 2019
The user continued, saying he had seen a boy fall ‘20/30 feet’ from the ride during a section of fast track.
The tweet read: ‘Just saw a kid fall off the Twister rollercoaster at Lightwatervalley’
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The tweet read: ‘He mustn’t have been strapped in right, or too small for ride.
‘As it went down the fast bit towards the ‘souvenir’ camera he slide out and over top of carriage.
‘Fell face down about 20/30 feet to ground.’
The user also posted an image of an air ambulance landing near one of the park’s rides.
— Simon Moran (@sirimo) May 30, 2019
Lightwater Valley are yet to comment on the incident.
The Twister rollercoaster is described as a ‘spinning roller coaster with passengers boarding a strange waltzer-shaped ride car and heading on an epic ascent to the treetops’ on the Lightwater Valley website.
A statement from North Yorkshire Police read: ‘Police were called to reports of a medical incident involving a child at Lightwater Valley theme park near Ripon at 11.30am.
‘The child, a 6-year-old boy, who was conscious when officers arrived at the scene, has been taken to hospital. His condition is not believed to be life threatening.
‘The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been notified.’
‘Further updates will be provided when available.’
In 2001, tragedy struck the theme park after student Gemma Savage, 20, died when two cars collided on the Treetop Twister ride at the theme park.
This is a developing story. More to follow.