THRILL seekers were left stuck at the 80-foot peak of a funfair ride in the People’s Park for 20 minutes after a generator broke down.
James Cole, who runs the Funtazia travelling fair which visits Jersey each summer, said passengers on the ‘G-Force’ ride – which spins people through the air on small gondolas – were brought back to ground level safely after a broken fan on a separate power supply meant they were unable to get off.
He explained that the generator fan was quickly fixed, with the customers set free after 20 minutes – and given a refund.
‘They were strapped in and obviously nerves do kick in but the safety procedures were followed; we got everyone down and everything was OK,’ he said.
‘I would like to stress it wasn’t the ride’s fault – it was the generator,’ he added.
The rides were operating while the Portuguese Food Festival took place at the park.
Two of the funfair-goers who were stuck, Cameron Maguire and Daniel White, said they were left at the very top – which Mr Cole estimated to be around 80ft high – facing the ground, as they were heavier than the two teenage girls sitting behind them on the other half of the gondola.
‘It was a weird experience,’ said Mr Maguire.
‘They [the girls] started to get a bit worried as they couldn’t see what was going on, so we were trying to tell them.
‘You couldn’t do much and we were just wondering when we were going to get back down. I love theme parks but I don’t usually go on those types of rides – and the one time I do go on one I get stuck.’
Mr White added: ‘It wasn’t too much fun. From what we could tell, they couldn’t get the people at the bottom off.
‘I might not be going on that one again.’
