Power cut at theme park sees customers stuck on rides

A POWER cut at Chessington World of Adventures yesterday stranded people on rides.

Thousands of parents and children had to leave the resort yesterday when the power cut saw the attraction’s displays and rides grind to a halt.

Staff at the site had to carry out several high-level rescues from some of the rides, where customers had been trapped when the apparatus stopped abruptly in mid-air.

No one was injured and everyone was led unharmed down ladders to safety. A total of 16 people were rescued from rollercoasters.

The power cut affected a wide area of the village of Chessington, Surrey, including houses, and it was believed to have been caused by a fault in an underground cable.

A spokesman for Chessington World of Adventures said: “Several high level evacuations had to be carried out. We have a well rehearsed procedure for such events.”

He added: “We have re-validated the tickets of those in the park so they can re-visit on another day.”

Merlin Entertainments, Chessington’s operator, saw a fall in visitor numbers in 2015 at Alton Towers after a crash on a ride at the Staffordshire park in which two carriages on the rollercoaster collided, leaving five people severely injured, including two teenage girls, whose legs had to be amputated.

UK Power Networks said power was interrupted to 272 customers in North Chessington about 3pm, following a fault with a piece of electrical equipment. A company spokesman said engineers restored supplies to most customers within 20 minutes, adding: “We apologise for any inconvenience.”