Adventure Island's Helter Skelter joins Downs' Traditional Steam Fair

A well-known ride has been removed from a seafront theme park for good, and will live out its days with other vintage attractions.

The white and red Helter Skelter was retired from Southend's Adventure Island after 40 years of service.

New owners, Downs' Traditional Steam Fair, said it would give the attraction a revamp before it joined a collection of older-era rides.

The business, hoped to "freshen it up" in time to be used later this year.

The attraction's spiral curves would greet visitors as they walked in the park. Its new home would be alongside a collection of traditional rides which could be hired out for private and public events.

John Downs, of the family business dating back to 1938, said: "We're up for the challenge of taking this on and hopefully presenting it to the public again shortly".

He added: "It will join our other vintage rides that we currently operate which already includes a Helter Skelter - very, very similar to the one at Southend.

"We are hoping for that to be operating later in the year, it is going to go through a bit of a renovation. We are going to add more lights to it and give it a new lick of paint and freshen it up a little bit."

Philip Miller MBE, executive chairman and owner of Stockvale Group of Companies, which included Adventure Island, said: "We are sad to see our iconic Helter Skelter leaving the park.

"However it is going to a lovely new home operating alongside other vintage rides".

He added: "I would say it has served us well but times move on and fashions change."

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