A MUCH-LOVED family ride has been forced to close after it appears it derailed and the track split.
The Big Dipper at Blackpool Pleasure Beach is one of the oldest operating rollercoasters in the world.
Yesterday afternoon, the wooden rollercoaster was forced to close and is still closed today, following some of the carriages of the ride derailing, with a video shared on social media also showing the track split down the middle.
Several videos shared on social media show the ride at a halt on a low part of the track.
The track in front, which rises before a drop, appears to be broken in several places – though, reportedly, no one was hurt.
One rider, Reanna Harrison-Berry, 20, who was riding with her boyfriend, said they heard a “crunch” sound as they went uphill.
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Just moments later, the cart then rolled backwards, with some claiming that the carriages had ‘derailed’.
Reanna added: “As we went three-quarters of the way up the big hill, it just completely smashed backwards really quickly.
“The next thing we realised we were tilted to the left and the back carriage was completely to the right – it was quite scary.”
Another rider said: “We went pretty quick upwards, but then it juddered and rolled back really quickly.
“I was terrified, I’m not going to lie. I’ve never had that happen on a rollercoaster before. We didn’t really know what to do.”
Once the riders deboarded, they gave statements and were offered a free Burger King.
Reanna said: “I couldn’t eat because I was so shaken up, but my boyfriend got a free meal and a couple of other people ate.”
The Big Dipper features five drops and a number of twists and turns.
It was first built in 1923, making it over 100 years old but was later extended in 1934.
The track stretches over a kilometre long and travels up to 34.8mph.
The ride was closed on July 20, 21 and 22 for routine maintenance and then reopened yesterday before the incident in the afternoon.
A spokesperson from Pleasure Beach Resort said: “The Big Dipper came to a stop on Thursday, July 23, around 2pm, at a very low point in the ride.
“Following this, a manual deboarding took place with guests guided safely by trained operators.
“All riders were checked by first aid trained staff, with no injuries reported.
“An internal investigation is taking place to determine the root cause.”
When Sun Travel asked if the ride will be closed for the foreseeable future, Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort declined to comment.