UK-based Innovative Leisure has opened a new attraction at the American Adventure theme park in Derbyshire, England.

Themed as a US space shuttle, the new family ride is called Rascal Rocket.

Innovative Leisure’s managing director, Phil Pickersgill, said: “Increasingly we find that parents and children want to ride together and this is an ideal attraction for that purpose.”

Rascal Rocket is based on similar children’s vertical rides but gives riders control of the vertical motion and speed of the carriage via a joystick.

Parents with young children can have a gentle ride, while older children can take each two-seater carriage up to 24ft. There is an individual, double ratchet locking system, for each passenger.

The theme park’s Roger Lloyd said: “It has been very well received by our younger visitors who can now enjoy the first vertical ride at American Adventure.”

Pickersgill added: “This is the first one we have installed in the UK but we have already received many inquires about the ride for 2005. I’m confident we’ll see many more opening here in the future.” Details: [email protected]