A rollercoaster ride at a popular Lowestoft theme park looks set to continue to thrill visitors.

Complaints from local residents over the noise emissions from Pleasurewood Hills Wipeout ride have been lodged with park owners and Waveney District Council ever since it was installed four years ago.

But councillors have dismissed fears that the Wipeout ride – which is regarded as one of the most significant on the park in a council report – would have to be closed.

The council's development control committee met at the town hall on Tuesday evening to discuss a variation of conditions associated with the rollercoaster ride.

Committee members supported a report from the council's environmental health officer which proposed setting a less stringent noise level to that originally granted.

'The proposed change is reasonable in the context of the efforts made by officers, the park's management, engineering team and equipment suppliers over the period since the ride was installed. The revised wording would allow the ride to operate, while protecting neighbours against a rise in noise levels from the Wipeout ride,' said the report.

Managers at Pleasurewood Hills said the Wipeout ride was vital to the success of the park and if it was removed it would create a reduction in the viability of the theme park, leading to possible closure with the loss of employment.

A council spokesman said: 'The variation of condition was approved subject to monitoring of noise levels being put in place to ensure the level is not breached.'