Aqua park set to re-open in May this year

THE tourist attraction Aqua Park Rutland is coming back this year – and it’s going be even bigger and better.

Bosses running the aqua park say the new-look course will make it the biggest in the UK with more inflatable obstacles and two new areas.

Aqua Park Rutland co-founder Richard Drinkwater said one area will be restricted to people aged 16 and older.

He said: “The new area is going to be an extreme experience for adrenaline junkies only.

“We have had some new pieces custom made in Germany and one tower is almost 6m (19.5ft) tall.

“It is going to be a very impressive floating structure specially designed for fun, fun, fun.

“We can’t wait to share the new park with the public. It’s going to be brilliant.”

Tickets are already being snapped up for the inflatable obstacle course, which attracted 20,000 visitors in its eight-week inaugural season last year. Tickets cost £20 per person and include the hire of a wetsuit.

Leicester Tigers – and rugby union rivals Northampton Saints – and soldiers from the Royal Anglians tackled the inflatable course last year.

Richard said: “The Tigers have already been back in touch and have booked another session for this year.

“They had a great time last year. They had races between themselves and there was a lot of laughing going on.”

Bosses at the Rutland Water attraction, which opened in July, said they were delighted with last year’s public response.

Richard said: “As word of the launch spread, we had people visiting us from as far afield as Scotland and Devon.

“The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many families and groups making two or three visits.”

The park will reopen on May 27 this year and tickets are already on sale.