Giant water slide event to go ahead in Bristol

The event coincides with the Bristol Arts Weekender and the mayor's Make Sunday Special

Thrill-seekers will have the chance to shoot down a giant water slide at speeds of 15mph in Bristol city centre this weekend after the scheme was backed by the council.

Using plastic sheets, hay bales, water and washing-up liquid, the 90m (295ft) slide will be set up in Park Street.

Riders on lilos will be cheered on by a crowd bashing cow bells on either side.

Some 360 ticket holders, picked from nearly 100,000 applicants, will ride the slide from 11:00 BST on Sunday.

'Guinea pig'

Luke Jerram, the man behind the slide, said he was told by the council on Thursday his "Park-and-Slide" could "definitely" go ahead.

The project was first announced in March by the Bristol-based artist.

With demand "far exceeding capacity", a ticket ballot was held to whittle down the 96,573 applicants.

Using 300 hay bales, tarpaulin and a "slide strip", Mr Jerram said it would take about three hours to set up the giant water chute.

"I'll be the first person down it. I'm the guinea pig," he said.

"We're using a mix of water and washing-up liquid, so I'll be getting it primed and checking it all works so that we can get it signed off for health and safety."

The slide is set to be in operation until 17:00, although the organisers say the event is still subject to an "on-the-day final health and safety sign-off" and they "reserve the right to cancel at any time".