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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Lucy John

Winter Wonderland removes attraction for 'repairs' after three 'thrown' from ride

A ride has been removed from a Winter Wonderland park after three people were thrown from the attraction.

The incident that occurred at around 5:15pm on Saturday on the Ice Skater Sizzle at Cardiff's Christmas attraction left two patients needing treatment at the University Hospital of Wales.

Witnesses said they heard a "massive bang" before the ride malfunctioned and threw the victims off.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said: “HSE is investigating reports of serious injuries on a ride at Winter Wonderland in Cardiff.

"Three people were thrown from the ride. One currently remains in hospital and is being treated for their injuries.”

On Thursday, December 1, a spokesman for Winter Wonderland said the ride has been taken off site to undergo repairs and safety checks. A new family ride has take its place, reports Wales Online.

The spokesman said: "Following the incident on the November 26 at Cardiff's Winter Wonderland, and in order to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of all our guests remains at the top of our priorities, we have taken the decision to take the ride concerned off site to enable engineering repairs and safety checks to take place under the direction of the ride owner.

Witnesses said they heard a "massive bang" before the ride malfunctioned and threw the victims off (Wales Online)

"This means a new family ride has taken its place at the event."

Seren McCallum-Weller was at Winter Wonderland on Saturday celebrating her birthday with her family.

The 13-year-old told WalesOnline: "I was on the Ice Skater ride with my cousin. We were just having a fun time then we suddenly heard a massive bang. I didn't know what it was.

"We looked behind us and the ride was still going and then we saw a lady on the floor. We then saw a second lady who was pushed into the railings and the railings had moved. She was lodged in between the ride and the railings.

Two people were left needing treatment at the University of Hospital Wales (MEDIA WALES)

"I think a third lady was also thrown into the railings. There were a few children on the ride who were no older than 11 or 12."

Seren said the ride involves several clusters of around four seats each, which spin and move diagonally "very fast". She said staff tried to stop the ride as soon as they could but it took a few minutes to slow down.

She added: "The ride was slowing down and it came to a stop about one or two minutes after it happened. The attendants were trying to stop it straightaway."

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