Slide linking two streets in Spain closes after one day following injuries

'How long will it take for a drunk foreign tourist to die on it?'

A 38-metre slide which links two streets in Spain has been forced to shut a day after opening to the public.

Authorities ordered a safety inspection of the steel chute in Estepona, a resort town on the Costa del Sol, after people complained of injuries.

The slide – reported to be the longest of its type in Spain – is designed to allow quick travel between one street and another below it, sparing people a 10-minute walk.

Since it was unveiled on Thursday, videos have been uploaded to social media showing users hurtling down the chute at high speeds and flying off the end.

One woman tweeted pictures of grazed elbows she said she suffered on the slide.

“The slide of Estepona is a s***,” she wrote. “I went on and hurt myself everywhere, I flew two metres and the cops started laughing.”

Estepona’s council said the injuries were an “isolated incident”. It added people were given instructions on how to use the slide safely, such as by sitting up rather than lying down, and more than a thousand people had done so “without incident” on Thursday.

“However, given this situation, the council has requested a new check to provide maximum guarantees for users,” its statement added.

The slide was installed by a private company which is redeveloping the area and cost €28,000 (£24,000), according to The Olive Press.

Some locals reportedly saw the chute as vanity project for the local mayor, who unveiled it.

Others feared holidaymakers would injure themselves.

“How long will it take for a drunk foreign tourist to die on it?” asked one Twitter user.