Lightwater Valley theme park: Six-year-old boy who fell off rollercoaster airlifted to hospital

Injuries ‘not believed to be life-threatening’

A child has fallen from a rollercoaster at Lightwater Valley theme park in North Stainley, Yorkshire, police have said.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance attended the scene and a six-year-old boy has been airlifted to hospital in Leeds.

The boy “was conscious when officers arrived at the scene, and has been taken to hospital”, the police said.

His condition is not believed to be life-threatening.

North Yorkshire Police said it had been called to reports of a “medical incident” at 11.30am and officers remained at the scene.

Witnesses said the boy fell from the Twister rollercoaster and the ride was shut down before the helicopter arrived.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “Police were called to reports of a medical incident involving a child at Lightwater Valley theme park near Ripon at 11.30am today.”

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance said: “I can confirm that we attended and transported a child to Leeds General Infirmary.”

The park bills itself as the “ultimate family adventure” on its website.

“With over 35 rides and attractions for thrillseekers of all ages, Lightwater Valley is bursting with young, family fun and thrill adventures for the whole family,” it says.

A section describing the rides and attractions adds: “Spin through the air in the grip of the Eagle’s Claw, hurtle through deep, dark forests aboard Europe’s longest rollercoaster The Ultimate and venture into the underground world of Raptor Attack.”

In 2001, Gemma Savage, a 20-year-old student at Durham University, died on the same rollercoaster, which was then named Treetop Twister, when two cars collided.

In 2006 French company Reverchon Industries SA was found guilty of breaches of health and safety law.