THIRLLSEEKERS were left dangling upside down 80ft in the air on the hottest day of the year after a rollercoaster at Alton Towers broke down.
The Galactica ride got stuck on its tracks leaving dozens of riders stranded for up to half-an-hour as temperatures rose to 33.9C today.
One flustered thrillseeker said he was left staring at a pile of rocks while others said they had to be told they were stranded as they were wearing virtual reality headsets.
Disappointed punters also reported queuing for two hours – only to discover the £12 million ride was closed.
Michelle Neale took to Twitter to say she had been trapped on the ride and wrote: “Fab day @altontowers with my favs 30mins stuck on galatica was interesting!!”
Brendan de Bruijn said: “Just spent 10 minutes stuck on galactica looking face down at a pile of rocks about 25m below us… Not impressed.”
Cara Halton added: “oblivion, rita and galactica were all having technical difficulties…. is this a joke?”
Wendy Fowler said: “Stood in the sweaty tunnel for galactica for over 30mins to then be told it’s closed. Really annoyed. Not first time today!”
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Sarah Moore posted: “Galactica now closed and been sent away for a second time. Nearly 2hrs in total wasted queuing for closed ride!!”
Alex Clarke added: “Please tell me Galactica will be open again today, this is the second time I’ve come and it’s been shut.”
The attraction is based on the tracks of former ride Air and opened on 2016 after being designed by John Wardley and tested by astronauts.
It is described as providing a “blast through advanced space travel portal to another dimension.”
It isn’t the first time the ride, which gives riders the chance to become a “space tourist” using virtual reality, has broken down.
In May last year, 28 people were also left hanging face-down when it ground to a halt in “absolutely torrential” rain at the top of the first loop of the track.
And in 2015, two women lost a leg when a carriage of the park’s Smiler ride smashed into a stationary car.
Alton Towers confirmed on Twitter the ride was out of order.
The Sun Online has contacted Alton Towers for a comment.