Alton Towers rollercoaster shut down after wheels break off and injure visitors

The Smiler, a new attraction which cost £18m, has now closed three times due to ‘technical issues’

File photo dated 09/05/13 of The Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers, which has been closed after wheels came loose and hit front row riders (PA)

A rollercoaster at Alton Towers has been closed after a number of wheels fell off and hit people on the ride.

The Smiler, which includes a 30m (98ft) drop, has been dogged by technical problems since it opened in May at a cost of £18 million.

A spokeswoman for the amusement park said a number of “small guide wheels” broke off the rollercoaster as it was being pulled up a section of incline yesterday.

She said that “several were flicked into the guests sitting in the front row of the train”, while the rest fell down through to the safety netting below.

Park staff treated two of the four front row visitors, who suffered minor bruising but did not need an ambulance – and didn’t let the incident stop them from staying at the park for the rest of the day.

An investigation will now be carried out to establish whether the ride can be considered safe to reopen.

The Smiler has 14 loops, and according to BBC reports was also shut down for four days on 21 July after a piece fell of the track, and 48 people had to be rescued. It also closed for five days in August because of a “technical issue”.

The Alton Towers spokeswoman said: “We have very stringent safety procedures on all of our rides including CCTV so the ride was stopped immediately by the rides team.

“All of our rides and attractions are expected to meet extremely high standards, technologically, mechanically and in terms of the end experience, and a full investigation is ongoing before we determine whether to re-open the ride.

“We are sorry for any disappointment the ride's temporary closure is causing but the health and safety of all of our visitors is our absolute priority.”