A CAMPAIGNER who climbed on top of a demolition-threatened rollercoaster was the first to take a ride when it re-opened for business.
Peter Crompton staged his dramatic protest when both the Cyclone and Wildcat rollercoasters were about to be bulldozed, after the closure of Southport’s Pleasureland amusement park.
Although it was not enough to save the historic wooden Cyclone, Mr Crompton enjoyed an exclusive ride on the refurbished Wildcat when it lifted its barriers once again yesterday.
It marked another milestone in the amazing turnaround of the fortunes of Pleasureland, which fell into disrepair after being closed down by its previous owners, Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
The Southport attraction, which first opened in 1912 and holds fond memories for generations of Merseysiders, was re-launched in 2007 by new owner Norman Wallis.
