Riders freed from 72ft rollercoaster after fault

An eyewitness told the BBC riders were "lying on their backs and being evacuated"

People had to be evacuated from the top of a 72ft (22m) rollercoaster after the ride malfunctioned, a visitor has claimed.

The thrill-seekers at Adventure Island, in Southend-on-Sea, were reportedly pulled from its flagship ride Rage when it got stuck at a 90 degree angle earlier.

There were near identical incidents at the Essex theme park in July and October last year.

Marc Miller, the site's managing director, said the rollercoaster would undergo "full testing measures" before being reopened.

Derek, who witnessed the incident and did not give his full name, said he noticed "the carriage was stuck at the top".

"The riders were lying on their backs and being evacuated," he said.

"They have to come out sideways on their backs, into a cradle which the ride operators have gone up in and then brought back down."

The Rage rollercoaster, pictured here in use, reaches a height of 72ft (22m)

The rescue operation was carried out by a "highly trained team", said Mr Miller, from Adventure Island's parent company, Stockvale.

"The riders were all very relaxed and comfortable during the process and back on the ground, safe and sound, very quickly," he added.

Rage, which opened in 2007, is advertised as Adventure Island's "biggest and best" rollercoaster - with "loops, twists, and flat-out speeds".