Blackpool Council reassures visitors Christmas by the Sea rides are safe after Birmingham Star Flyer incident
VisitBlackpool have reassured visitors that all rides at Christmas by the Sea undergo “rigorous” safety checks after the Star Flyer in Birmingham “crashed”.
Two women were taken to hospital after the City Star Flyer ride in Centenary Square “failed and crashed” at around 7.30pm on Thursday.
13 people were treated by West Midlands Ambulance Service, with two women transported to Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
Two men, aged 55 and 21, were arrested later that evening on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and obstructing officers.
Danter Attractions, which operates the ride, confirmed it was "fully co-operating with authorities" as the incident was investigated.
Blackpool’s 196ft Star Flyer, one of Europe’s tallest swing rides, returned to the Festival Headland earlier this year for the Christmas By the Sea village.
The staging of the village is in association with Blackpool Council, Blackpool Transport and Triangle Attractions.
Following the incident in Birmingham, VisitBlackpool reassured visitors that all attractions undergo “daily, rigorous safety checks”.
A spokesman for VisitBlackpool said: “All of the rides in the Christmas By The Sea village, including the Star Flyer, undergo daily, rigorous safety checks as part of the site operator’s standard procedures.
“Each ride is thoroughly inspected and signed-off before it is allowed to operate for the day. These checks are an integral part of the operator’s routine, ensuring the highest standards of safety are maintained at all times.
“In light of the incident elsewhere, additional checks have been carried out but the operator’s safety protocols are already extremely robust. This includes specific features on the Star Flyer, such as the spreader bar above the seats, which ensures that the seats cannot tangle.”
Christmas By the Sea, held opposite The Blackpool Tower, attracted record visitor numbers last year.
This year’s event features a free skating rink, festive light installations, projection shows, log cabins offering food, drink, and gifts, artificial snowfalls, Christmas trees, and festive tram rides.
There’s also a variety of themed children’s attractions and thrill rides including a 100ft-long snow slide.
New attractions include a German Swing Grill, Snow Dome Waltzers, a Helter Skelter slide and the Ice Breaker thrill ride.