A schoolgirl from Barry Island has been awarded a £27,000 settlement after suffering serious leg injuries on a ride at Barry Island Pleasure Park in 2022. According to her solicitors, the incident occurred on the Crazy Fun House ride and has taken three years to reach a resolution. The victim, now an A-Level student residing in the Vale of Glamorgan, has chosen to remain anonymous. The family’s legal team claimed that the pleasure park initially denied responsibility for the injuries sustained by the 16-year-old girl, leading to formal legal proceedings.
Robertsons Solicitors, representing the girl and her family, stated that they were offered meagre sums of money by the fair’s legal team and insurers throughout the years. Eventually, a settlement was reached, which had to be approved through a judicial process due to the girl’s age. Despite settling on a figure, Barry Island Pleasure Park did not officially accept liability for the incident. The family’s solicitor, Andrew Collingbourne, emphasised the importance of robust health and safety measures in public spaces to prevent such accidents in the future. He called for increased awareness to avoid similar incidents.
A family spokesperson highlighted the lasting impact of the accident and expressed hope that shedding light on the issue would raise awareness among families about the potential risks at fairgrounds. The Danter family, who operate various fairgrounds and festivals across the UK, were involved in this case. Henry Danter, the family patriarch who owns Barry Island Pleasure Park, did not respond to requests for comment. The settlement follows another incident involving the Danter family-owned City Starflyer ride in Birmingham, where two individuals were hospitalized after a malfunction.
Mr. Danter has attracted media attention for his plans to develop a Butlin’s-style site near a children’s hospice in Sully. However, he recently announced withdrawing from these plans but intends to pursue the project elsewhere in the Vale of Glamorgan. This recent case underscores the importance of ensuring safety protocols at amusement parks to protect visitors from harm. It also serves as a cautionary tale for fairground operators to prioritise safety measures to prevent accidents.
The settlement serves as a reminder of the potential risks involved in amusement park rides and the significance of holding operators accountable for ensuring visitor safety. As legal proceedings concluded with a settlement, the victim and her family hope that their ordeal will raise awareness and encourage fairground operators to take their responsibilities more seriously. This case sheds light on the complex legal processes involved in seeking justice for amusement park accidents and the importance of stringent safety regulations to prevent similar incidents in the future.