Four people treated after Alton Towers ride ‘shunt’

The incident happened on the Sonic Spinball attraction which is located near the park’s entry turnstiles, on Tuesday.

Theme park officials said two cars on the ride had “nudged each other at walking pace” but on-site medical staff had no concerns after assessing those on board.

A spokesman for Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire said: “Two cars in the station area nudged each other at walking pace.

“The guests on the two cars walked off and we advised that they attend our medical centre as a precautionary measure.

“The ride reopened shortly afterwards.”

The incident happened in the same week the park had to issue an apology after it took up to an hour to evacuate about 80 people when the site’s monorail broke down, on Wednesday - the hottest day of the year.

It is four weeks since a carriage on the Smiler roller coaster ride crashed into another empty car, seriously injuring five people.

Two of the injured have since undergone leg amputations.