Alton Towers rollercoaster Oblivion evacuated after it stopped at highest point

Technical fault follows 2015 crash that left five people with life-changing injuries

Passengers have been escorted off the "Oblivion" roller coaster at the Alton Towers theme park after it stopped at its highest point — 180ft above the ground.

Rescue staff were seen scaling to the top of the ride and helping 16 passengers down.

The theme park said the rollercoaster stopped after a "minor technical fault" and that the safety of customers had not been compromised.

The owner of Alton Towers, Merlin Attractions, was fined a record £5m in September last year after a crash on the Smiler ride left five people with life-changing injuries and several others seriously hurt.

The theme park argued the crash was caused by human error, but prosecutors made the case that the company should have had better safety procedures in place.

The Smiler ride reopened in March 2016, after a number of changes were made including improved access and a policy of closing the ride when winds exceeded 34mph.

Following the evacuation of the Oblivion rollercoaster, a spokesperson for the theme park said: “This afternoon Oblivion stopped after a sensor on the ride detected a minor technical fault.

"The ride performed exactly as it is designed to do. In line with our well-rehearsed procedures, guests were assisted from the ride. At no point was guest safety compromised.”