Ocean Beach Pleasure Park have released a statement following an accident at the amusement park which has left a worker fighting for his life.
At around midday on Sunday police, paramedics and the air ambulance were called to the site following reports of a workplace accident. A 52-year-old man was found to have suffered serious head injuries and was taken by road to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary where he remains in a critical condition.
Following the incident, police contacted Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to help them to establish exactly what happened. HSE confirmed they were aware of this incident and assisting in the investigation.
Read more: Man fighting for life after incident at Ocean Beach Pleasure Park in South Shields
Today, an area of the amusement park remains taped off with a police presence at the scene.
Ocean Beach Management has now issued a statement explaining that the incident happened at ground level on an amusement ride during daily testing and maintenance, before it was open to the public. No other employees or members of the public were injured, they added.
Management confirmed that the ride owner/operator is working closely with the Health & Safety Executive and Northumbria Police and their thoughts remain with the injured staff member.
They added that amusement rides and individually owned businesses have been given permission to remain open and they will provide further updates in due course.
In a statement, Ocean Beach Management said: "Ocean Beach Management can confirm a work-related incident took place on the morning of Sunday 19th March which involved a member of staff during daily testing and maintenance.
"This happened at ground level on an amusement ride before it was open to the public. No other employees or members of the public were injured.
"We would like to thank the emergency services who arrived promptly and then took the staff member involved to the RVI in Newcastle.
"The ride owner/operator is working closely with the Health & Safety Executive and Northumbria Police. The Police confirmed that other Amusement rides and individually owned businesses can remain open as this was an isolated work-related incident.
"Our thoughts at this time are with the staff member involved and we will give further updates in due course."
A HSE spokesperson said: "We are aware of this incident and assisting Northumbria Police to establish what happened."
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