Ghost Towers - Drone footage shows eerily empty Alton Towers

Drone footage shows an eerily empty Alton Towers as operators test rides before thrillseekers return.
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The stunning video offers a unique birds-eye view over the popular theme park – but without a single visitor in sight on what would traditionally be one of it’s busiest days.

Drone cameras capture theme park engineers working on top of rides such as Oblivion while conducting safety checks as part of the preparations. Pathways, cafes and shops - usually packed with excited thrill-seekers - sit empty in spooky footage filmed by Alton Towers' engineers Ben Allsopp and Andy Walker.

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Their video begins panning across the great lake which greets visitors as they enter the park and also shows the splendour of the historic towers and the surrounding countryside.

Alton Towers.Alton Towers.
Alton Towers.

Andy can be seen waving to the camera in the clip as he precariously works 65ft (20m) in the air on the vertical drop rollercoaster Oblivion. Other rollercoaster's such as The Smiler sit eerily empty while carriages can be seen going around tracks on other rides - but with no passengers on board.

The Staffordshire attraction has been closed since the coronavirus outbreak but is planning to reopen on July 4 with strict guidelines in place. When it does, access will be limited with restricted capacity to reduce the number of people on rides and dining in restaurants.

Temperature checks will be conducted at the gates on both staff and guests. Anyone who has a temperature that is too high will be turned away but will be able to re-book.

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Spacing markers are being installed at queue lines and communal areas and one-way systems will be enforced inside shops and cafes. Teams on site will be issued with protective clothing including face masks and gloves to keep them and guests safe.

Riders will only be able to go on roller coasters and rides within their groups, maintaining a row of seats between each family - which could result in longer queues.

Health, safety & security director Jonathan Ellis said: "This is so that we can best maintain social distancing in all areas of the resort, whilst making sure that our guests can enjoy the same number of rides and attractions as they would normally expect to.

"We are still working through precisely how this will work, and our approach may evolve in line with Government guidance. Whilst we never want to turn anyone away, unfortunately if someone arrives at the resort with a high temperature they will not be allowed to enter.

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"In this event we will gladly re-book your visit when convenient and at no additional cost; we do not expect anyone to be penalised for doing the right thing. As always, our focus is on prevention rather than the cure, so we hope and expect our employees and guests will behave responsibly and not travel to the resort if they feel unwell.

"We have all become accustomed to waiting in line at the supermarket and navigating the one-way system around the aisles without getting too close to other shoppers, so hopefully this aspect of a trip to Alton Towers will not present too many surprises for guests."

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