Theme park fined after accident

The digger plunged into a river at the theme park

The owners of a theme park have been ordered to pay almost £100,000 after a "death-defying disaster" in which 12 people were injured.

The incident happened at the Diggerland site at Langley Park in County Durham in April 2004.

Durham Crown Court heard there had been a catalogue of failings and a lack of "elementary precautions" at the park.

The company was fined £75,000 and has to pay £19,000 costs after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution.

The court was told the 17-year-old driver had only passed his test five months earlier and had not been competently trained to drive the supertrack vehicle.

Improved operations

There were inadequate seat restraints and steel used to modify the vehicle had not been padded, which contributed to the injuries of passengers.

After the hearing a HSE spokesman said: "Unsuspecting parents and children came along that day for fun adventure and enjoyment.

"What they got in actuality was a death-defying disaster."

Riggsed Ltd, which owns the theme park, said it regretted the incident and had co-operated with the Health and Safety Executive in improving its operations.

At the time of the incident the all-terrain articulated vehicle was taking 18 passengers on a tour of the site when it slipped down a bank, landing on its side in the water.

In all, 12 people were taken to hospital after the vehicle landed in the River Browney.

Diggerland has three sites; in County Durham, Strood in Kent and Verbeer Manor at Cullompton, Devon.

All the parks feature rides and exhibits of mechanical digger vehicles.