Worker named in theme park tragedy

More than one million people visit the attraction each year

A theme park worker killed in an accident at one of the attraction's rides has been named by police.

Lancashire Police say the dead man is Harold Mathews, aged 59, of Highfield, Wigan.

Mr Mathews was employed at the Camelot Theme Park, at Charnock Richard, Chorley, Lancashire.

He was standing by the side of the Gauntlet rollercoaster ride shortly after 1400 BST on 22 October, when the accident happened.

Police investigation

Mr Mathews was taken to the Royal Hospital in Preston but was pronounced dead.

His relatives have been told of the accident, and an investigation into exactly what happened has been launched by the police and the Health and Safety Executive(HSE).

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "There will be a thorough inquiry by ourselves and the HSE."

A post-mortem examination is to be carried out.

The Rack is another ride at the Camelot site

A spokeswoman for the park said The Gauntlet is one of their most popular rides.

She said Mr Mathews was not on the track of the looping rollercoaster but was standing by its side.

The Gauntlet ride is a "looper" type ride, which replaced the Tower of Terror ride at the park in May 2001, after it was destroyed by fire.

Gauntlet came from another park in the UK, and features a steep drop and a single vertical loop.

Camelot Theme Park was created in April 1984, before Granada Group plc purchased the company in February 1986.

Following a management buyout in June 1998, it passed to Prime Resorts Limited, which now owns Camelot Theme Park and the Park Hall Hotel leisure and conference centre.

Devastated colleagues

After the accident Roy Page, chief executive of Camelot Theme Park, said: "I can confirm that an incident occurred... that resulted in a fatality involving a member of staff.

"We are all devastated and extremely distressed and our thoughts and condolences are with the colleague's family at this time."

The park, which would have been open for half-term, was closed following the incident, and remained shut the day after the accident as a mark of respect to Mr Mathews.

Camelot is set in 140 acres of Lancashire countryside, and attracts more than one million visitors a year.