Thorpe Park's Hyperia closed a day after opening as rollercoaster promoted as UK's tallest gets off to rocky start

A new rollercoaster touted as the tallest in the UK has shut one day after it opened.

Hyperia at Thorpe Park is claimed to be the country's tallest, at 236ft, and the fastest, with a top speed of 81mph.

It was opened to the public on Friday, but on Saturday, the theme park posted an update on its X page.

"Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to open Hyperia between Sunday 26th-Wednesday 29th May," the statement read.

"We apologise for the disappointment this will cause and we are working hard to reopen Hyperia as soon as possible," it added.

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Anyone who pre-booked tickets during the temporary closure period will be able to re-book for another day free of charge, according to the theme park.

Crowds flocked to try the new ride on its opening day, with waits for it on Friday exceeding five hours, according to reports.