Horrified onlookers watched as rescuers scrambled to the aid of eight terrified people stuck "at the top" of a 22-metre rollercoaster. "

Eye-witnesses said they were left hanging on the tracks for "at least half an hour" after the Rage ride at Adventure Island in Southend, Essex, broke down just before 2pm today (FRI)."

A mum of one, who was visiting the park with her six year old daughter, said: "They had to be harnessed and rescued down. "

"It got stuck, it’s the big one there that goes through the loop - it goes up, God knows high, and then straight back down and then loops."

"It literally just got stuck, right at the top."

The woman, who asked not to be named, added: "The carriages are still stuck at the top at the moment, but the people are out, they harnessed them out one at the time. "

"They were up there for at least half an hour, 45 minutes probably. "

"It was all quite calm to be fair, the park seemed to handle it really, really well. "

"They were reassuring them, there was no screaming or mass hysteria, though obviously there was a large crowd of people around and lots of people there. "

"I've never been on the ride, I'm not about to now either."