Blackpool's Big One stops mid-ride forcing Pleasure Beach guests to walk down for second time in two weeks

The giant roller coaster came to a hair-raising halt on its epic 214ft hill climb at around 3pm on Sunday (April 23), with guests escorted off the ride and guided down its huge flight of emergency stairs.

The Big One remained closed for the rest of the day after brave guests made their way down 400-plus steps to safety with the help of trained staff at the attraction.

What did the Pleasure Beach say?

A spokesperson for the Pleasure Beach said: “The Big One roller coaster stopped on Sunday, April 23 just before 3pm, just over halfway up the lift hill.

“There was a minor technical problem and the safety system on the ride worked exactly as it should and immediately stopped the train on the lift as a precaution.

"Trained staff walked all riders safely down a set of stairs to the ground within 30 minutes."

It’s the second week in a row that the Big One – the UK’s biggest roller coaster – has come to an unexpected stop with guests having to be rescued by the park’s staff.

A week earlier, on Tuesday, April 11, more than a dozen guests found themselves stranded just feet away from the summit after staff made a last-minute decision to halt the ride seconds before its first stomach-churningdescent.

After high gusts of winds were experienced, The Pleasure Beach said staff made the call due to sudden changes in weather conditions and not due to any fault.

"Guests on the ride were reassured and escorted from the ride by Blackpool Pleasure Beach staff,” said a spokesman for the amusement park.

“Due to high gusts of wind the Big One roller coaster closed for the remainder of the day.”

The £12m ride opened in May 1994 and reaches speeds of up to 74mph for thrill-seekers looking for a dose of adrenaline.

During the three-minute ride, riders experience g-forces of up to 3.5g. The ride can seat 30 passengers at a time in its five cars.