Alton Towers faced an unexpected disruption on the opening day of its new ride, Toxicator, due to a burst pipe, leaving some visitors frustrated.
Alton Towers, a well-known theme park located in Staffordshire, faced disruption on the opening day of its new attraction, Toxicator, due to a burst pipe that resulted in a leak of brown liquid near the ride’s entrance on Saturday. Visitors expressed their frustration over the situation, particularly as many had anticipated the debut of the ride.
The park’s management quickly responded to the incident, clarifying that the liquid was not sewage as some visitors speculated, but rather water from a nearby burst pipe. A spokesperson for Alton Towers stated, “Due to an unexpected burst pipe near the ride, Toxicator briefly paused operation whilst our teams swiftly dealt with the issue. The ride and surrounding area are now fully re-open and welcoming guests.” After a pause in operations for about two hours, the ride was confirmed to be back in service later that day.
Ben Keable, a visitor from Cheslyn Hay, shared his experiences with the PA news agency. He noted the disappointment of his son after waiting approximately 70 minutes in line, only to be faced with the closure. While they waited under the ride, Keable described seeing a trickle of liquid forming a puddle around their feet. He expressed frustration over the lack of compensation for their wait, stating, “There was an announcement that the ride was suffering a problem. We were then told to leave the ride with no offer to come back with a fast pass given we had waited 70 minutes. This was just a small part of a nightmare day at the park. My son was so disappointed.”
Mr Keable highlighted that several rides remained closed throughout the day, which resulted in their family managing only five rides in ten hours due to long queues.
Another visitor, Matthew Lancaster, 27, from Southport, expressed disappointment as well, noting that he was an avid theme park goer and found the situation unfortunate. He remarked, “That definitely wasn’t on the bucket list,” underscoring the disruption to his planned day at the park.
Despite earlier reports of potential additional closures, Alton Towers confirmed that Toxicator was fully operational by Sunday, with a reported queue time of approximately 50 minutes for eager guests.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/03/16/alton-towers-new-ride-shuts-first-day-leak-brown-liquid/ – This article corroborates the incident of a brown liquid leak from a burst pipe at Alton Towers’ new ride, Toxicator, on its opening day, causing a temporary closure.
- https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/alton-towers-toxicator-sewage-leak-b2716215.html – This source confirms the leak and temporary closure of Toxicator due to a burst pipe, clarifying that the liquid was not sewage as initially speculated.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This is the original source of the article, detailing visitor experiences and reactions to the incident at Alton Towers.
- https://www.alton-towers.com – This is the official website of Alton Towers, which would provide information on the park’s operations and attractions, including the status of Toxicator.
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire – This BBC news page could potentially cover local news, including incidents at Alton Towers, though specific coverage of Toxicator’s opening day incident is not confirmed.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative appears to be recent, focusing on a specific incident at Alton Towers. However, there is no specific date mentioned in the text itself, which slightly reduces the score.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
Direct quotes from Alton Towers’ spokesperson and visitors are included. While these quotes could not be verified against earlier sources, they appear original to this context.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from MyLondon, a local news outlet. While not as globally recognized as major news agencies like BBC or Reuters, it is still a reputable source for local news.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about a burst pipe and ride closure are plausible and consistent with common issues at theme parks. The narrative includes specific details about visitor experiences and park responses.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be recent and well-documented with original quotes. The source is reliable for local news, and the events described are plausible. Overall, the information seems accurate and trustworthy.
