Wooden rollercoaster is safe, says Alton Towers

Alton Towers insists its new ride has undergone hundreds of hours of rigorous safety tests as it opens the UK’S first wooden rollercoaster in 21 years.

Merlin Attractions, the theme park’s operator, was fined £5million for a “catastrophic failure” of health and safety rules over an incident on its Smiler rollercoaster in 2015.

But the new Wicker Man wooden rollercoaster will feature a six-storey flaming structure.

The £16million project, including a 2,028ft track, has a 57.5ft “wicker man”, which will appear to burst into flames as thrill-seekers race through the structure on a wooden track.