Roller coaster stopped mid-air after rider sticks leg out of cart

The Colossus was stopped after a staff member spotted a limb protruding from a cart. Photo / Thorpe Park CCTV

A roller coaster at Thorpe Park in Surrey, England had to be stopped mid-air after a guest stuck their leg outside their cart.

The Colossus, which travels at up to 72km/h nearly 30.5m off the ground, was halted after a member of staff spotted the protruding limb on CCTV yesterday.

Officials were forced to evacuate the £13.5million ($24m) ride, with those on board having to walk down its tracks to safety in order to get down.

Colossus roller coaster : riders led to safety after breakdown at Thorpe Park. pic.twitter.com/UpWo1Sx610

— Daniel Pashley (@eurodan) July 10, 2016

They said: "We stopped the ride because a guest ignored our ride restrictions and put their leg outside of the cart while on board Colossus which was spotted by our vigilant staff on CCTV.

"Therefore we e-stopped the ride as soon as possible and evacuated all guests."

Others at the park took to Twitter to post pictures. Images showed about five people making their way down the tracks carefully.

Daniel Pashley posted a series of photographs and wrote: "People evacuated from stuck roller coaster at Thorpe Park. Everyone safe, says employee."

People evacuated from stuck roller coaster at Thorpe Park. Everyone safe, says employee. pic.twitter.com/lm6Ei4Xaqi

— Daniel Pashley (@eurodan) July 10, 2016

He added later: "Roller coaster stuck at Thorpe Park - guests being walked down to safety. Employee says nobody hurt."

The ride was opened again later in the afternoon. The park's spokesman confirmed no one had been injured.