Riders trapped on Gold Coast rollercoaster

File photo / NZ Herald

Seven people have been rescued from a broken-down rollercoaster on the Gold Coast as firefighters work to free another six.

Emergency crews were called to Warner Bros Movie World, Oxenford, just before 1pm (AEST) on Sunday.

The Green Lantern rollercoaster at the front of the theme park had suffered a mechanical issue when two separate carts were in motion.

The ride, which measures 33 metres at its highest point, came to a sudden stop as emergency announcements began to play in front of confused onlookers.

The park referred to the malfunction as "an issue with a wheel", however witnesses said a part of the wheel components had fallen off completely.

One witness described hearing a "big bang" as one of the carts rounded a bend on the upper level of the track.

There were seven people trapped in the lower cart and six in the upper cart.

The riders stranded in the lower section were freed around 2.30pm (AEST), the Queensland Ambulance Service said.

There were no reports of any injuries.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service sent eight vehicles, including an aerial appliance and two vehicles from Brisbane, to rescue the riders.

Witnesses began posting about the incident on social media despite being discouraged from taking photos.

One witness, who was just about to join the ride's queue, described the incident as her "worst fear come to life".

Warner Bros Movie world said a team of engineers and technicians will assess the ride once all guests are freed.

-AAP