Flamingo Land today postponed the press launch of Magnum Force, its £3 million new triple loop roller coaster.

UPS AND DOWNS: General manager Gordon Gibb and marketing assistant Natasha Allen get a feel for the Magnum Force ride at Flamingo Land. The ride did not operate with them on board and its press launch was postponed Picture: Garry Atkinson

The white-knuckle ride may still open to the public on Sunday at the theme park at Kirby Misperton, near Pickering.

But Flamingo Land said today that tomorrow's press launch had been delayed "due to unforeseen technical problems."

Spokeswoman Melanie Wood said she expected the problems, details of which have not been released, would be rectified within the next few days. Magnum Force, the only ride of its kind in Europe and not for the faint-hearted, is Flamingo Land's biggest venture yet and is expected to attract thousands of extra visitors to the park.

The ride, which stands 120 feet high and reaches speeds of 80mph, was shipped over from Malaysia last summer. The mile of track - broken down like a giant jigsaw set - was carried by a fleet of 52 articulated lorries from Immingham Dock to Flamingo Land before the long process of building the ride got under way.

The decision to buy the triple looper roller coaster was taken after Flamingo Land's visitor figures slipped from more than 770,000 in 1992 to 526,000 in 1998.

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