Gulliver’s World theme park in Warrington is contesting a legal challenge over injuries an 12-year-old girl allegedly sustained on the Antelope rollercoaster.
Lawyers for Emma Neild, now 17, state that she sustained injuries which have left her “wheelchair dependent” after riding the wooden rollercoaster in 2011.
A lodged High Court writ states that the ride had “the effect of forcing a passenger’s head forwards and backwards”.
The documentation adds: “Having ridden the rollercoaster and exited the ride, Emma immediately felt unwell, with soreness in her neck and back.
“She did not go on any further rides and became increasingly unwell. When she arrived home she vomited and was unable to stand or support herself.
“An MRI scan revealed she had sustained a serious spinal cord injury.”
The solicitor claims that the seats and restraints on the 1995-built wooden rollercoaster were inadequate for a child of Emma’s size.
A spokesman for the company was quoted by the Liverpool Echo newspaper as saying that a link between her disabilities and her riding the Antelope was disputed, and that liability for her injuries would be contested.