13 children hurt as ride derails at pleasure park

THIRTEEN children and one adult were injured after a ride derailed at Porthcawl’'s Coney Beach Pleasure Park.

- HOLLY MORGAN

Seven of those injured were hospitalised for further treatment after Wednesday's incident.

‘The ride involved was the park's Wacky Worm ride, which is described as a “small introductory roller coaster” on Coney Beach Pleasure Park website.

Videos circulating on social media showed the front carriage of this ride hanging off the roller coaster’s tracks, with adults helping bloodied and bruised children down to safety.

Emergency services, including police, fire and ambulance were called to the scene.

One mother said a metal railing fell on to her son’s pram while she heard children “screaming” and “crying out” after a cart on the ride left the track.

Rebecca Eccleston, 22, from Llantwit Major, was at the amusement park with her son and a group of friends when the incident happened.

“It was all fine and the kids were enjoying themselves, then all of a sudden there was a massive bang,” she told BBC Wales. “I turned and the metal railing had fallen on to my right shoulder and my pram?”

Rebecca's one-year-old son, Theo, who was in the pram, sustained bruises.

A father-of-three recalled the moment he watched the Wacky Worm ride “completely lift off the rail” - with his children on board.

Matthew Baker, 44, had travelled from Port Talbot to Porthcawl with his partner and children, expecting a fun family day out.

‘The family arrived at the busy funfair at around 5.15pm and were walking through the park when the Wacky Worm ride caught the attention of Matthew's four-year-old son.

“My youngest is autistic and nonverbal,” Matthew explained. “So it’s difficult to know what he’s interested in. When he showed excitement toward the ride, my teenage daughters offered to take him on.”