Parents have slammed a ‘slip and slide’ festival which ran out of water after children were left waiting for hours to go down an inflatable water flume.
Organisers of the event in Graves Park, Sheffield on Sunday promised the ‘UK’s longest three lane, inflatable water slide’ and ‘the best, wettest, slipperiest time, you can imagine’.
But the reality was very different for the hundreds of parents who paid £16 for children and £22 adults to go along.
First there were long delays in setting up the equipment, then the water pressure was too low to make the slide wet enough, before the event was eventually closed down amid safety fears.
Parents were left furious after a ‘slip and slide’ festival descended into farce on Sunday
Parents said only one lane of the slide was open for much of the time leading to long waits
Local vlogger ‘Wozza S’ recorded the carnage, commenting the event was ‘badly organised’
Scores of parents have since bombarded the event’s Facebook page with demands for refunds.
Becky West wrote: ‘The event advertised as starting at 10am [but] by 1pm the ride was still not ready.
‘The generators were insufficient to inflate it and the water pressure was too low to make the slide safe.
‘The staff tried to “bodge” it by letting people ride when it was patently unsafe, multiple people were encouraged to go at the same time with at least one person treated by paramedics with staff holding a hose pipe in their hands to wet the slide.’
Carina Lowery said: ‘Waited over two hours before there was even any water, no staff manning the inflatables one went down while my daughter was on it! Someone got carried out on a stretcher.’
Lisa McCormick added: ‘There was little water, cables and plastic mess everywhere. An inflatable gladiator style podium that was not manned for health and safety and was deflated with kids still playing on it.’
Inflatable ‘gladiator-style’ dueling platforms reportedly deflated while children were on them
There were long delays for the slide to inflate, then problems with keeping it wet enough
The scenes were far from what was advertised ahead of the £22-a-ticket event in Sheffield
Lisa Cox wrote on Facebook: ‘The event was poorly managed and there was a lack of supervision on the slide and other bouncy activities which resulted in children’s safety been put at risk. My children were left feeling very disappointed. We have requested a full refund.’
The event’s organisers, Sun Slider, have since issued a grovelling apology and have promised refunds.
A post to parents stated: ‘Are [sic] intentions were hounarable [sic] and we tried to make a new interesting event for the community.
‘I understand we fell short, as things did not go as planned especially with the water situations.
‘We did not plan for the time it took to set up or the queuing situation, or people jumping on half way down the slide. T
‘The slide was safe but did not go as planned and this we totally accept. We hope you can forgive us.’
Parents have since gone online to complain about the event and demand refunds