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The Irish Sun
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Popular UK theme park shuts NINE of its rides over ‘public safety' fears amid watchdog probe
A POPULAR UK theme park has closed a whopping nine rides over 'public safety' fears. This comes after a routine inspection by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Advertisement 5 Woodlands Family Theme Park in Devon was forced to close nine rides Credit: Instagram 5 The site was inspected by the HSE earlier this month Credit: Instagram 5 The Theme Park was at one point unable to show valid industry standard safety checks Credit: Instagram It has been reported that Woodlands Family Theme Park was ordered to temporarily close a number of attractions in the park. This was after the Devon theme park was apparently unable to show valid safety checks to the watchdog during the visit. As part of an ongoing programme of inspections, the HSE attended the site on June 26th. This is part of a wider look at fixed and mobile fairgrounds across the UK to make people more comfortable with theme park safety. Advertisement READ MORE ON THEME PARKS The body explained that the site near Dartmouth was "unable to provide sufficient assurance" around the safety of nine of its rides. It seems that the "declarations of compliance" for some of the attractions were missing. The inspection is part of a wider scheme that was the industry's adopted standard for inspection and certification when it comes to fairgrounds and amusement parks. It was started to improve safety standards and increase confidence from the public in consultation with the HSE. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Exclusive Exclusive The following rides in the park were affected; Sea Dragon, Vertigo, Trauma Tower, Tractor Ride, Submarine Ride, Dragon Ferris Wheel, Polar Pilots, Dizzy Dune Buggies and Rocking Tug. This was after the director of an inspection company was suspended from their position in the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS). New hossoland theme park that has opened in Poland However, according to Devon Live, the body did confirm that the theme park was able to quickly rectify the issues to "minimise disruption". The outlet reported that it stated: "After David Geary of DMG Technical Limited was suspended from the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS), Declarations of Compliance for the nine rides were missing. Advertisement "HSE took proactive action to stop them being used until the issue was resolved. "Woodlands Family Theme Park urgently commissioned an inspection body, who produced the Declarations of Compliance required, meaning the rides could reopen with minimal delay." Statement by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung explained the park was closed "in the interests of public safety." "This action was taken in the interests of public safety. At this time of year, any enforcement action will cause inconvenience, but it is vital that those who enjoy amusement parks are kept safe and feel reassured. We thank Woodlands for their co-operation to resolve this matter." Meanwhile, Woodlands Family Theme Park said: "We take HSE-related compliance legislation very seriously. As soon as this was brought to our attention, all the rides were reinspected by another registered inspector. We would like to add that at no time would Woodlands ever be involved in anything related to non-compliance of safety. We have and will remain totally committed to raising and maintaining standards in our industry." In a statement referred to The Sun, HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said: "This action was taken in the interests of public safety. "At this time of year, any enforcement action will cause inconvenience, but it is vital that those who enjoy amusement parks are kept safe and feel reassured. Advertisement "We thank Woodlands for their co-operation to resolve this matter." In a statement released through HSE, Woodlands Family Theme Park said: "We take HSE-related compliance legislation very seriously. "As soon as this was brought to our attention, all the rides were reinspected by another registered inspector." The park added: "We would like to add that at no time would Woodlands ever be involved in anything related to non-compliance of safety. Advertisement "We have and will remain totally committed to raising and maintaining standards in our industry.' 5 The watchdog was missing 'declarations of compliance' for some of the rides Credit: Instagram 5 Members of the HSE have stated that the problems could be quickly rectified Credit: Instagram The Sun has also approached Woodlands Family Theme Park for direct comment. Advertisement
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Daily Mail
How safe is your local funfair? Investigation uncovers safety fears at popular parks - with major concerns over one safety inspector
A major investigation has uncovered safety fears at a number of popular fairground parks - with one inspector in particular raising concerns. Accidents that have left young children 'completely covered in blood' and victims thrown out of rides 'like a ragdoll' are among those brought to light in the BBC's new Panorama programme. But the horrific tragedies are now being unearthed as just scratching the surface in a long series of failings and refusals to carry out sufficient checks. Travelling fairground sites and societies like the Showmen's Guild have notoriously rejected proposed safety measures, and the Adips (Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme) list has allowed controversial inspectors to continue in their job. The owner of DMG Technical, David Geary, is one Wales-based inspector who has come under fire in the documentary, Funfairs: How Safe Are They?. After a five-year-old's ankle was crushed by a rollercoaster at the Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza festival in North Wales, Mr Geary received a criminal conviction and a fine for failing to identify risks. He also admitted breaching health and safety regulations and was handed a suspended prison sentence in 2018 after a ride at the Funderpark funfair in Yiewsley, Hillingdon led to a mother-of-eight being catapulted from her seat. The company, which admitted an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act, was fined £51,000. Another case involving Mr Geary relates to the Airmaxx 360 in Hull Fair which led Jade Harrison, then 21, to suffer a broken jaw and lost tooth when she flew 15ft out of her seat in October 2019. An eight-year-old girl had previously died in Australia on the same ride and it was never used again in the country - but it was sold three years later, in 2017, to the UK. Mr Geary said his company had modified the ride following the Australian accident. But this did not prevent Ms Harrison from suffering internal bruising, severe damage to both thighs, and more bruising all over her body when the horror accident took place. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had formally warned Mr Geary about eight safety breaches over the past 10 years - though his registration with Adips (Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme) was only suspended in March 2025. The HSE has now said it is reviewing its industry safety guidance 'to decide whether it, and the system it underpins, remains fit for purpose'. The Panorama programme tells in detail how former waitress Ms Harrison collided with a teenage boy and had to undergo a two-hour operation, requiring metal plates in her jaw. She spoke out about the ordeal which 'could have killed her' and urged for more safety checks amid 3,188 injuries in England, Scotland and Wales between April 2014 and March 2024. Speaking to the BBC, Ms Harrison - aged 21 at the time of the accident - described hearing a 'clicking noise' in her back and the ride going on for around a minute and a half before it changed direction - the last 'concrete thing' she remembered. Ms Harrison said she could feel herself 'slip' and that when she woke up she had a 'bit of amnesia' before starting to panic as she felt 'something wasn't right' in her mouth as it felt like all her teeth had 'gone'. She also recalled her injuries vividly. Ms Harrison said: 'I could barely walk, I broke my jaw completely in half. I had damage to mainly back teeth on both sides. 'I had internal bruising, severe damage to both thighs, and then just bruising all over my body, like black, purple bruises.' Surgeons then had to remove two unsalvable teeth from Ms Harrison's mouth before placing three metal plates in her jaw which will 'stay there'. In December last year, a woman who was injured when a 180ft Christmas fairground ride crashed to the ground in Birmingham put other locals off from partaking in the festivities. The City Starflyer ride is provided by funfair suppliers Danter Attractions and is described as 'one of the tallest rides around'. And only last month, a waltzer car came crashing out of a fairground attraction after it suddenly appeared to malfunction. Footage taken at the Galactic Carnival Festival in Wester Hailed, Edinburgh showed the 'unthinkable' happening as the circular vehicle went flying. Galactic Carnival Edinburgh issued an apology and remains under investigation. Their statement said all rides undergo 'extensive safety testing in line with government guidelines' and inspection by adips. They added: 'This incident is now being investigated by third party inspection bodies and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).' Ride inspector Alex Nicholls has now called for a major overhaul of safety at funfairs. He said: 'We can't allow this to happen again. You know, the names will change, but if the game is the same, then we're just going to have the same problems over and over.'
