Star Flyer: Blackpool council says giant amusement ride must come down

The assembly of the Star Flyer ride in Blackpool has now been halted

A council has ordered a giant Christmas amusement ride to be dismantled just hours before it was due to open.

Blackpool council said the 65m (213ft) Star Flyer, which is one third the height of the Blackpool Tower, could be a hazard to people and vehicles below.

Blackpool Promotions had planned to make the ride a key part of this year's Winter Gardens Wonderland. The private firm said it had no comment to make.

The council agreed it would consider other locations, if suitable.

The authority said it had not commissioned the ride and said it had a duty to ensure public safety because of a nearby road.

A spokesman said the organisers had made a late change to their plans after originally proposing small-scale children's rides.

He said: "The view was taken that it would not be safe to operate so close to what is a public highway.

"Given this is a space used by buses, taxis and pedestrians, it was deemed inappropriate for this location."

He went on: "When this particular ride arrived in the square, the installation started without the necessary council approvals.

"It became clear that the overall footprint of the ride, coupled with vehicle mitigation measures, made it too big to fit in the square."

The BBC approached the event's promoters, Blackpool Promotions, for a statement but the company said it did not wish to comment at this stage.

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