Three hurt in East Preston funfair accident

A FAMILY trip to the funfair ended with two girls and their brother being injured when part of the ride they were on broke off.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Jun 2009, 13:24 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:06 BST

Natasha, Peter and Jasmine Russell were on the Hearts and Diamonds ride, also known as The Meteorite, at the William Cole fairground in Lashmar Road, at about 8pm on Thursday, when they were hit by a section of light fittings.

Jasmine, 14, said: "I thought I was going to die. It was the ride where you are all strapped around the inside of the bowl, and it spins you.

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"In the middle there was a big diamond that lit up, and a massive bit of plastic came off it. It was attached to a cable, but the ride was still going round, so it was spinning, and hitting everybody." It hit Natasha, 17, on the head.

Concussion

"I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again, it was coming towards me. I pushed it away and this boy next to me held it so that it would not go round any more," said Jasmine.

Then, she said, the cable broke, and the fitting, studded with plastic lightbulb covers, smashed on the side on the ride.

The three walked home to Roundstone Drive, but when mum Maureen saw them, she called an ambulance.

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She said: "The paramedic said she might have concussion, but she is doing OK."

Jasmine suffered bruising to her legs, and Peter,16, sustained a cut finger. All three spent Friday recovering at home.

Maureen said: "They were all quite frightened and in shock, and I just thought 'Why did I let them go?' But you do not expect something like this to happen.

HSE investigation

"I would not be happy about them going again."

Sgt Peter Allan, of Littlehampton police, said that full details of the incident had been passed to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which had authorised the ride to reopen on Friday.

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Bill Cole, of William Cole Fairgrounds, which was running the fair, said that the ride was not owned or operated by his company.

Sgt Allan added that the incident was in no way a reflection on the fair itself, as the piece that broke was "aesthetic rather than functional".

"We are liaising with the HSE, who anyone with information should call, on 01342 334203."

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