A health and safety probe is underway at a North Yorkshire theme park today after a woman was airlifted to hospital with head and spinal injuries.

She was injured when a fairground ride went wrong at Lightwater Valley near Ripon this afternoon.

Ambulance crews took three more people, all men, to hospital following the incident involving the park's new ride, the TreetopTwister.

As doctors began to treat the woman, the Health and Safety Executive began an investigation into what happened.

North Yorkshire paramedics called in the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to help them with the woman who is believed to be in her twenties.

They stabilised her and gave her specialist first aid treatment while the helicopter was flying in from West Yorkshire.

The woman was then rushed in a 10-minute air journey from Lightwater Valley to Leeds General Infirmary.

Ambulance crews from Harrogate and Ripon took three men by road to Harrogate District Hospital. Two are believed to have abdominal injuries and the third whiplash injuries. All are believed to be in their teens or early twenties.

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman confirmed the agency had launched an investigation into the incident and it would be looking to see if there had been any breaches of the health and safety legislation at the park.

The ride was immediately closed and will remain shut until the HSE investigation has been completed.

Updated: 17:07 Wednesday, June 20, 2001