Horrifying moment child's seat belt flies open on perilous fairground ride
Shocking footage has emerged from a popular Easter fair appearing to show the buckle of a lap seatbelt coming undone during a ride on a slingshot attraction.
The incident took place on the ride, known for its high-speed launches that catapult riders into the air, at the annual 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show in Australia. Speaking on Today on Friday morning, Shane McGrath, Head of Operations for the Easter Show, expressed his concern over the incident and confirmed that immediate action had been taken.
'I'm really disappointed by what I saw in that footage,' Mr McGrath said. 'But I want to assure everyone that at no point was the child in any danger.'
READ MORE: Terrifying final moments of teen who died in water park prank horror as 'bodies fell from sky'
He explained that the ride in question is a Class Five device equipped with three independent locking mechanisms to ensure passenger safety. 'The over-the-shoulder restraint was engaged, and the ride cannot operate without it,' he said.
In addition to the primary restraint, the ride also features a secondary lap bar and a third seatbelt—the latter appearing to have failed in the footage. 'Unfortunately, what we're seeing is a failure in that third seatbelt,' Mr McGrath said.
The child's mother was promptly contacted, and both SafeWork NSW and the Show's carnival safety consultants were immediately informed to investigate the incident.
'They're satisfied with the steps we've taken,' he noted. 'We take amusement ride safety very seriously and exceed the legislative requirements in place.'
All rides at the Sydney Royal Easter Show are inspected by engineers prior to operation. McGrath added that the event also employs a dedicated carnival safety team and works with an international ride training company to maintain the highest safety standards for ride operators.
Despite the incident, the slingshot ride is expected to continue operating over the weekend.
'It's been running smoothly for the past four or five days,' Mr McGrath said. 'The incident occurred last weekend, and we remain supremely confident in the ride's safety. It's been a mainstay at the Easter Show for decades.'
SafeWork NSW confirmed they were aware of the incident that occurred over the weekend, and said no one was injured.
'SafeWork NSW is working with the Royal Agricultural Society and continuing to make inquiries,' a spokesperson for SafeWork NSW said in a statement to NewsWire.
'SafeWork NSW is working closely with the Sydney Royal Easter Show event organisers to ensure the safety of more than 800,000 expected visitors, with inspectors and engineers conducting thorough inspections and enforcing strict safety compliance.
'This Easter, SafeWork NSW has issued 23 notices to protect families and workers by addressing safety risks to ensure all rides, stalls, and activities meet strict safety standards.'
Easter show organisers, The Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, said other safety mechanisms protect riders.
"We are aware of an incident involving a seat belt on the slingshot ride in the main carnival,' a spokesperson said.
'The slingshot is equipped with multiple safety mechanisms to ensure rider safety, with the over-shoulder harness and lap belt being the primary safety restraints, the additional seat belt that clips into the ride acts as an additional redundancy.
'The show's carnival safety consultant has inspected the ride, the seat belt has been repaired and all safety procedures have been reviewed and reinforced with the operator.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Tragic ‘dear mom' note sent by Camp Mystic victim, 8, revealed following Texas floods – after family's double tragedy
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MOM who lost her daughter in the floods that swept through Texas' Camp Mystic has shared details of a letter she wrote before her death. Notes that children had written to their parents while at the summer camp had started arriving - days after the July 4 floods. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Blakely McCrory with her mom Lindsey Credit: Facebook 6 Blakely was one of 27 children and camp counselors killed in the recent Texas floods Credit: Facebook Blakely McCrory, eight, was among 27 campers and staffers that perished in the Texas floods. She died days after arriving at Camp Mystic, and months after she lost her dad. Devastated mom, Lindsey McCrory, shared details of the note Blakely had written to her family, per People. Blakely had filled in the blanks to sentences on a piece of paper. read more on news GET OUT Fears of MORE Texas floods as volunteers cleaning up after deadly torrents evacuate The letter started with the phrase: "Dear mom." In the note, Blakely revealed she was feeling 'good' and described Camp Mystic as amazing. She told her mom that she would be playing tennis as well as horseback riding. She revealed that she was in the 'tonk' group. Blakely rated the sleep and food at the camp as the best. Children were given the option to score food and how they slept from best to worst. Lindsey revealed that she took comfort in receiving the letter as it conveyed her daughter was enjoying herself at Camp Mystic. College football coach's 8-year-old daughter confirmed dead in horrifying Texas floods – 'asking for all prayers' She described Blakely as 'very resilient.' 'She was a live wire, just had a fun, spirited attitude, the type of child that doesn't stay down for long,' Lindsey told People. Lindsey told the Today program that she received two letters from Blakely. In the second note, Blakely begged her mom not to sell her Barbie house. 6 Search teams remove debris from the Guadalupe River Credit: AP 6 Mattresses and clothes are laid on the grass outside a Camp Mystic building Credit: AFP Lindsey recalled how her daughter appeared to change in her mind. That's because Blakely had initially allowed her mom to sell the dolls house. Blakely departed for Camp Mystic on June 29, but her family was rocked by tragedy months previously. Lindsey's husband and Blakely's dad, Blake, died in March after a battle with stage two cancer. And, Lindsey's brother also died. Camp Mystic had been a constant on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas for almost 100 years. And, 750 children were at the Christian campsite when the floods hit over the Independence Day weekend. The Guadalupe River rose around 26 feet in 45 minutes as it burst its banks. Around a foot of rain hit Kerr County in central Texas when caused the river to overflow. Janie Hunt, nine, was also killed in the floods. It was her first year at Camp Mystic. Her family identified her via a necklace that had been given to her by her grandma, Margaret. Stacy Stevens' daughter Mary, eight, was identified as one of the victims, as per the New York Post. FAMILIES GRIEF Tragic details emerged after it was reported that sisters Blair and Brooke Harber, 13 and 11, didn't survive the floods. The sisters were holding hands when their bodies were found. And, Ellen Getten, nine, had recently celebrated her birthday at Walt Disney World in Florida before heading to Camp Mystic. She was staying in the camp's Bubble Inn and her family said some of her happiest memories were the dancing parties put on by counselors, per an online obit. 'Ellen woke up happy, went to sleep happy, and made everyone around her happy,' her family said. 'Though her nine years on earth was brief, she will always be remembered for her love of others and her sweet smile. 'Ellen would want everyone to give more hugs.' Dick Eastland, the owner of Camp Mystic, was killed and he was credited for his heroism in trying to evacuate campers. He and his wife Tweety had been associated with the camp for more than 50 years. He received an order to evacuate campers at 1:14am but only started moving the girls to higher ground 45 minutes later, as reported by The New York Post. 'They had no information that indicated the magnitude of what was coming,' Jeff Carr, the Eastland's family spokesperson, said. Eastland's body was found in his Tahoe car that had been swept away. Officials confirmed that at least 134 people died from the flooding, with 100 still missing. But, another summer camp, Camp CAMP, which is located 30 miles downriver has since reopened. 6 A Camp Mystic mailbox that was swept away Credit: AP
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW
Applications must be submitted before the deadline CHILD'S PLAY Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PARENTS could get a helping hand with free school meals throughout the summer holidays. The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will offer support worth £100s after it was given the green light to run for another financial year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020 Credit: Getty It is funded by the Department for Education but is administered by local authorities, so each area varies in its offerings. Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, has issued a warning to parents to apply for the scheme ahead of the deadline. He warned that HAF isn't automatic and even if you've had help during previous school holidays, you will have to apply each time. Parents will need to apply for free school meals every year before the school year starts in September. Most local authorities offer to help families with children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals. But local councils are also allowed to offer help to children outside of this group. The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020. The government says research has found the school holidays can be "pressure points" for families, leading to a "holiday experience gap". Children from low-income households are less likely to get access to organised out-of-school activities, more likely to experience social isolation and see their nutrition and physical health suffer. The HAF programme looks to address this, by providing free food and activities to children. The initiative is mostly for Reception-aged children up to Year 11. The application process and what help you can get varies based on where you live. For example, Waltham Forest Council, in North East London, is offering holiday clubs and a daily meal over the Easter school holidays to children on benefits-related free school meals. The provision is open to children from Reception up to Year 11. Children in the borough are entitled to four sessions across the holidays. If you are not eligible for the HAF programme in your local area, you might be able to get help via the Household Support Fund. The latest round of funding closes on March 31, but a new round is running from April 2025 until March 2026. The current round of funding is worth £421million and has been split between councils in England who then decide how to allocate their share. Free money is usually transferred to your bank account or you are awarded vouchers to spend on energy bills or at supermarkets. You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable. Speak to your local council to see what help is on offer. You can find what council area you fall under by visiting Are you missing out on benefits? YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get. Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit. and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data. You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs. Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Southwold divided over calls for beach ban for dogs to be eased
The debate over when dogs are allowed on Suffolk's beaches has been long 2017, dogs have been banned from certain beaches between May and October every in Southwold, dogs are banned from the main stretches of beach for an extra month - starting on 1 has prompted a petition by Southwold resident Jenny Cook, who wants the town's restrictions to be the same length as the Suffolk Council bosses are expected to debate the issue later, but what do beachgoers and dogwalkers in Southwold feel about this? 'The rules should be the same' Deborah Carrington is a dog owner and would like to see the rules relaxed."In fairness to Southwold I think there is a decent amount of beach available to dogs, but if they could extend the season that would be great."And the 68-year-old does understand it can be difficult for people with children."I understand if you are a family with young children then loads of dogs on the beaches is not always for the best," she said."But dog owners are usually quite responsible. It makes sense to me to follow the same rules as the rest of East Suffolk." Nessa and Martin Howen, 56 and 58 respectively, are on holiday in the area and said they understood why the ban was in place but would like to see it Howen said: "I do understand, not everyone is a responsible dog owner and they don't always pick up after themselves, which is why there is only certain beaches dogs can use."Mr Howen added: "It would be nice if the dogs were allowed on the beaches all year round because you get to a point where everyone is on the designated beaches and then the other beaches are empty."So the extra month would do us really." 'Some children are frightened of dogs' Julie Lucas, 57, meanwhile, said: "If I had young children and they were playing on the beach, I wouldn't want dogs on that beach. "There's a lot of dogs that are very friendly but there's also other dogs that aren't, and there's kids that love dogs and there's kids that are really frightened of them."I think Southwold has a really good status quo." Steven Janes, 63, is a dog owner himself but does not believe the ban should be shortened."Some people are not very responsible with what their dogs do on the beach and that spoils it for everybody," he told the BBC."My dog is very well behaved but I wouldn't completely trust him if people came too close."So, it's only fair that people can have their beach to themselves and we can go up the other end if we need to." 'It's a fair compromise' Councillor Sally Noble, portfolio holder for environment at East Suffolk Council, said the current ban was first discussed in 2017, and a number of residents actually wanted "an outright ban on dogs all year round"."So this was a compromise really, to have the ban from 1 April, because the beach is very well used at Easter," she added."Unfortunately there are a lot of dog owners who are not responsible and while you can pick up dog mess off the beach it's very hard to stop them from urinating on it."We know some people are frustrated by this and we are listening, but we have no intention of a complete ban." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
