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A big-thrill rollercoaster at Alton Towers has been forced to shut after smoke was seen come from the ride. It is understood that the Wicker Man queue had to be evacuated while the incident
unfolded at the North Staffordshire theme park this afternoon. Footage posted on X, formerly Twitter, shows plumes of smoke rising into the sky from the ride. Eye-witnesses say the alarm
also sounded. The ride features flames as part of its special effects but the theme park believes the fire was sparked by a 'foreign object' and the rollercoaster will be closed
"until further notice" while essential maintenance is carried out. An Alton Towers spokesman said: “Operations on Wicker Man were paused after reports of smoke in the ride area.
Our technical team swiftly attended to the smoke and followed well-rehearsed procedures to quickly resolve the issue. Wicker Man is constructed with treated wood which inhibits fire
ignition. "At this stage we believe the cause of the smoke was the result of a foreign object. The safety of our guests is our top priority and the ride will be closed until further
notice while we carry out essential maintenance." Following its launch in 2018, Wicker Man became first wooden rollercoaster to be built in the UK in over 20 years. The 2.000 metre long
track features three drops, two tunnels and passes through the flaming Wicker Man three times. It has a top speed of 44mph, reported StokeonTrentLive. In March Alton Towers announced it is
looking to build a towering new attraction for theme park fans to enjoy, measuring around 60ft high. The resort lodged an application to replace its Funk 'n' Fly in the Forbidden
Valley, with an attraction that will sit atop a concrete structure. The park's Forbidden Valley is home to its popular Nemesis rollercoaster which is expected to re-open later this
year. Unsurprisingly the resort has remain tight-lipped about exactly what the attraction would entail, although it's been dubbed Project Ocean. Concept imagery from Smytheman
Architectural for the structure shows a large concrete block of around 60ft, with some themed elements either side and a walkway. The resort is also looking for permission for a building to
house plants and storage. A design and access statement submitted as part of the latest application said: "The objective has been to provide a return to a more fixed attraction to aid
the dwell time and attraction availability in the Forbidden Valley area of the park. With the reopening of the popular ride Nemesis alongside existing attractions Sub-Terra, Blade and
Galactica, it is believed guest numbers will increase in this area and a further attraction will aid in both dwell time, ride availability and keeping the area fresh."