Tragic Past of Winter Wonderland Ride Operators
The operators behind popular waltzer rides at London's Winter Wonderland are a couple who served prison sentences for gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a seven-year-old girl on their bouncy castle. William Thurston Jr, 36, and his wife Shelby, 34, currently run the Avalanche waltzers at the annual festive attraction in Hyde Park, which reopened to the public on Friday.
The Fatal Incident That Led to Prison
In March 2016, Summer Grant tragically lost her life while playing in the Circus SuperDome bouncy castle at a fair in Harlow, Essex. A powerful gust of wind reaching 40mph ripped the inflatable from its moorings, sending it soaring 50 feet into the air with the young girl trapped inside. Witnesses watched helplessly as the castle travelled through the air before eventually crashing into a fence.
William Thurston Jr chased after the runaway inflatable and managed to unzip an emergency exit to pull Summer out once it came to rest. Despite his efforts and rapid transportation to hospital, the seven-year-old was declared dead shortly after arrival.
The court case in 2018 revealed disturbing safety failures. The Thurstons had failed to properly anchor the bouncy castle or monitor changing weather conditions that day. Adding to the tragedy, the couple packed up the bouncy castle before police investigators could examine the scene.
During the trial, Thurston Jr admitted to jurors: 'The simple fact is we could have taken the bouncy castle down sooner. Obviously now I wish we had.' Both received three-year prison sentences for their role in the preventable tragedy.
Continued Operation Amid Safety Concerns
Following their release from prison, the Thurstons have resumed operating fairground rides at prominent events across the UK, including the high-profile Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. The festive attraction draws over three million visitors annually during its eight-week run and generates an estimated £60 million in revenue.
London Centric's investigation revealed the couple have also operated other attractions such as the XXL ride at Winter Wonderland in partnership with Joseph Manning, though they have reportedly since ended that collaboration.
When confronted about their continued involvement in the industry, the Thurstons told London Centric: 'There are no words that can adequately convey the sadness and remorse we feel for what happened to Summer Grant. We understand that people may have concerns about our continued involvement in the fairground industry. We take those concerns seriously and welcome scrutiny of our safety practices.'
The couple maintains that their current rides comply with Health and Safety Executive regulations and undergo inspection by industry bodies that issue compliance certificates.
Additional Safety Allegations Surface
Beyond the 2016 tragedy, former employees have raised additional concerns about safety practices within the Thurstons' operations. Three separate staff members described worrying behaviour by a manager who reportedly frequently used cocaine while working and harassed female staff and visitors.
One former employee stated: 'You would find him passed out on the platform foaming from his mouth almost every morning, I don't think I ever saw that man sober.'
A young woman who worked for the Thurstons when she was just 16 described inappropriate comments about her body and what the manager wanted to do to her, adding: 'Everyone knew what he was like.'
The Thurstons responded that all allegations against employees are thoroughly investigated and claimed they found no evidence to support these specific claims. They confirmed the manager in question has since left the company for unrelated reasons.
Winter Wonderland, founded in 2007 by AEG (owners of the O2) and PWR Events, continues to operate with the Thurstons' involvement. The event has historical roots dating back to 17th century frost fairs held on the frozen River Thames.
Winter Wonderland management has been contacted for comment regarding the operators' background and current safety protocols.
