PASSENGERS on Alton Towers’ The Smiler were today left trapped 100ft in the air for 20 minutes after the ride broke down.
Just before 6pm a carriage full of thrillseekers came to an abrupt halt as they were being pulled up the vertical part of the rollercoaster.
A terrifying photo shows stranded people hanging vertically and forced to stare into the sky at the top of the ride for 20 minutes.
Engineers were eventually able to free those from the carriage after reversing it back down the ride.
Staff at the park are working to reset the ride this evening so it will be open for guests visiting the park tomorrow.
One witness said: “The Smiler getting stuck on the vertical part is giving me the absolute fear.
“The poor people on that ride must be terrified.”
It comes just four years after an accident on the rollercoaster left five people seriously injured.
Some 16 people were on board one of its carriages when it collided in June 2015 with a stationary carriage at 52mph, causing injuries to riders.
We apologise to all guests affected by the stoppage on The Smiler late this afternoon.
Alton Towers
Two young women — Vicky Balch and Leah Washington — had legs amputated after the 52mph smash at the Staffordshire theme park last June.
Describing the incident, Leah recalled: “I can remember everything. It was like driving a car into a brick wall.
“I knew my knees were bad because I could feel flesh but I couldn’t feel pain and just thought I had broken some bones.”
Just months after the crash, the company plead guilty to health and safety charges and owner Merlin Attractions was fined £5million.
Prosecutors said the victims of the crash suffered “indescribable pain” and had “their lives turned upside down”.
WERE YOU AT ALTON TOWERS TODAY? DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED? EMAIL ABE.HAWKEN@THESUN.CO.UK OR CALL 02077824351
An Alton Towers spokesman said: “We apologise to all guests affected by the stoppage on The Smiler late this afternoon.
“Our guest relations team have spoken to everyone on board to offer return tickets to the park as compensation for the inconvenience.
“Our technical team are working to reset the ride this evening so this should not affect guests visiting the park tomorrow.”
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