A deer was “killed instantly” when a train from Lightwater Valley’s Ultimate rollercoaster hit a deer over the weekend.
A spokeswoman told the Darlington & Stockton Times: “We can confirm a young deer did unfortunately get hit by the Ultimate train yesterday and was killed instantly.
“There is a large perimeter fence surrounding the theme park but occasionally wild animals do manage to stray onto the park during the night.
“After the incident the Ultimate was closed for 30 minutes while the ride was thoroughly checked and then normal operation resumed.”
No injuries were reported by those on the train at the time.
The rollercoaster is the longest in Europe and traverses through acres of woodland in the 1.5-mile track’s second half. It has in previous years struck deer in that area of the ride’s layout.
The Darlington & Stockton Times also reported that the North Yorkshire theme park suffered power failures on Saturday, leaving the Black Pearl flat ride suspended upside down for several minutes.