Alton Towers
A logo sits on a sign outside the entrance to the Alton Towers theme park, operated by Merlin Entertainments, in Staffordshire Paul Ellis/ Getty Images

Passengers were left stuck at the highest point of a roller coaster due to a technical failure.

Staff managed to escort the passengers of the Oblivion rollercoaster at Alton Towers, in Staffordshire, by climbing to them and attaching them with harnesses.

One witness told the Mail Online: "The passengers were looking around and they were very anxious to step off the ride and onto the stairs because it's quite a high fall.

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"The ride was going up the top then it stopped at the top at an angle and then they were sitting there for quite a while.

"I could see people in helmets with ropes going up to release them from their seats because the ride was completely stopped. There's not much space so they were connected to emergency crews by the rope."

An Alton Towers spokesperson said that the ride had to be stopped due to a technical fault.

"The ride performed exactly as it is designed to do. In line with our well-rehearsed procedures, guests were assisted from the ride. At no point was guest safety compromised."

However it is the second incident in as many months, after passengers were trapped on the ride up to 45 minutes after it stopped.

In 2015, 16 people were injured in a crash at a nearby rollercoaster with two of the injured having their legs amputated.