Children scream in terrifying moment as waltzer car breaks off at Scottish fairground and crashes

A fairground company has said said it is “truly sorry” after a car on one of its rides broke off its track and crashed with three children inside.

Galactic Carnival Edinburgh (GCE) issued the apology following the incident at its fair in Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, on Saturday evening.

Kevin McNulty had been on the ride with his three children: aged 13, 12 and seven; at the time.

A photo after the incident where a fairground waltzer ride broke off the track and crashed. Picture: Kevin McNulty/PA Wire | PA

He said the ride was going “full pelt” when their car separated from the carousel and crashed into one he was riding in, before sliding into a speaker.

One of his children was filming at the time. A video captured their screams as the spinning car suddenly dislodges and veers off the fairground ride.

Posting on Facebook, Mr McNulty said their car “came completely off and then went flying into our car and then smashed about the place, crashing into the side off the track”.

READ MORE: Teenager killed in motorcycle crash near cemetery named by Police Scotland

He said: “Thankfully there was a heavy large speaker that they collided with or they would have been through the whole thing and then the ending would have been a completely different story”.

The three children were not seriously hurt in the malfunction.

A photo after the incident where a fairground waltzer ride broke off the track and crashed. Picture: Kevin McNulty/PA Wire | PA

Photos posted by Mr McNulty showed where the car appears to have broken off the waltzer ride. He said his children were “very very lucky that they managed to get out of this still walking”.

Dr Scott Arthur, the MP of Edinburgh South West, wrote on X saying: “A few people have been in touch about an incident at the funfair, and I am in the process of raising it with the council.”

In its statement, GCE said it “sincerely apologises” to the families affected, and that it is “working tirelessly to assist in the ongoing investigation” into what happened.

The statement continued: “We are truly sorry for the distress caused by the incident at our event. Public safety at our events has always been, and continues to be, our top priority.

“All rides at our events undergo extensive safety testing in line with government guidelines, including daily safety checks, and are also inspected by an independent third party safety inspection body [the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme, or Adips].

“This incident is now being investigated by third party inspection bodies and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). We have decided to close the event to allow for investigation to take place.

“All tickets purchased for future dates will be refunded automatically through our ticketing agent, Skiddle. Once again we are truly sorry for the distress this has caused.”

An HSE spokesperson said: “HSE is aware of the incident and is making inquiries.”