Firefighters battled for an hour and a half with theme park staff to rescue a man from a rollercoaster after it stopped suddenly in the rain.

Eastern Daily Press: A man was rescued from a ride at Pleasurewood Hills (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell)A man was rescued from a ride at Pleasurewood Hills (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell) (Image: Archant)

Thrill-seekers at Pleasurewood Hills, near Lowestoft, were left facing upwards when the Wipeout ride came suddenly came to a halt.

One of the passengers, a man believed to be in his 40s, was suffering from back pain and had to be rescued.

Five fire crews, including the Aerial ladder platform (ALP) from Great Yarmouth, raced to the scene after being alerted to the 'rescue from height'.

Henry Turner, who was on the ride with his wife, daughter and two nephews, said: 'The ride had completed the first half and had reached the peak for the second descent. Instead of descending everything stopped and we were left facing upwards.'

Eastern Daily Press: Several fire crews attended the scene (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell)Several fire crews attended the scene (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell) (Image: Archant)

Mr Turner said they were told the ride's safety features had kicked in because of the rain.

He said one girl was 'crying hysterically' but they were eventually lowered so they could all get off apart from the man who had back pain.

Firefighters and theme park staff battled to bring the ride down so they could get into a position to rescue the man.

Mobile cutting machines were also used by firefighters to cut away part of the car to enable the patient to be taken away by stretcher.

Eastern Daily Press: Emergency services were called after a reports a man had been suffering from back pain on a ride, believed to be Wipeout (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell)Emergency services were called after a reports a man had been suffering from back pain on a ride, believed to be Wipeout (Picture: Submitted by David Hanwell) (Image: Archant)

Group Commander Ali Moseley from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the rescue operation took about an hour and a half from 3.50pm on Sunday, July 16 when they were called.

He said: 'I understand the incident commander when they arrived were working with the staff who did a really good job in getting the rollercoaster down to a lower platform.' The car was still about three metres off the ground but in a far better position in terms of trying to reach him.

Mr Moseley said they 'did well' in helping to make it much easier and quicker to reach the casualty.

He added: 'We did have to use cutting gear to make space to get the casualty into a position where he could be put in a stretcher safely.'

A spokesman from the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) said they were called at 3.46pm to a man who was stuck on a ride due to the back pain.

The spokesman said: 'We sent a rapid response vehicle (RRV) and an ambulance crew and treated a man, believed to be in his 40s.

'He was taken to the James Paget University Hospital for further care.'

The spokesman said his condition was not believed to be life threatening.

Ambulance crews left the scene at about 5.30pm.

Pleasurewood Hills declined to comment.

On Twitter at 5.11pm, @bryonydaviesxo said people had been 'stuck on the ride' for two hours.