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Dardevil squirrel's got no ticket to ride
LEP.co.uk ^ | 14 February 2010 | staff reporter

Posted on 02/14/2010 3:40:13 PM PST by Daffynition

A theme park has been forced to ban a daredevil squirrel from one of its rides as its antics posed a health and safety risk. The rodent was said to be causing headaches for operators at Alton Towers by getting in the way of improvement work on an attraction at the resort.

Workers noticed it riding the revamped Sonic Spinball roller coaster as it was tested in the mornings and joining visitors who were offered an early go on it before the official opening.

The grey-haired animal was also caught stealing food from the workers.

A spokeswoman for the Staffordshire theme park said: "It was getting in the way of builders who were painting.

"They couldn't carry on because they would end up with paw prints in the paint.

"And we can't have anything on the track when the roller coaster is going round."

Alarms were installed that emit a warning noise inaudible to human ears but designed to ensure the squirrel, nicknamed Sonic, avoids the ride in future.

Morwenna Angove, sales and marketing director at the Alton Towers resort, said: "Unfortunately Sonic's behaviour is a danger both to our guests and himself and so we're doing all we can to ensure that he stays away from the ride.

"Banning a squirrel from a roller coaster is certainly unusual but I suppose there's a first time for everything."

The Sonic Spinball ride officially opened to the public yesterday to coincide with the start of the February half term.


TOPICS: Humor; Music/Entertainment; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: daredevil; squirrel; treerat
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1 posted on 02/14/2010 3:40:13 PM PST by Daffynition
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To: Slings and Arrows; SquirrelKing

Heads up!


2 posted on 02/14/2010 3:48:36 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
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To: Fudd Fan

UK Squirrel ping


3 posted on 02/14/2010 4:09:03 PM PST by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: Daffynition

Lemmie in! Lemmie in!

Speciesist!

4 posted on 02/14/2010 4:11:35 PM PST by smokingfrog (You can't ignore your boss and expect to keep your job... www.filipthishouse2010.com)
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To: Jet Jaguar; SoCalPol
Seriously. I think the UK has a series squirrel problem.


5 posted on 02/14/2010 4:26:03 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: smokingfrog

6 posted on 02/14/2010 4:27:08 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: Daffynition

7 posted on 02/14/2010 4:38:58 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality. (Hi Mom.))
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To: SoCalPol

LOL, thanks for the PING!


8 posted on 02/14/2010 4:47:00 PM PST by Fudd Fan (I got those Snowed-In Frostbitten Global Warmin' Blues a-gin.)
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To: Daffynition

9 posted on 02/14/2010 4:55:02 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality. (Hi Mom.))
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To: Fudd Fan; All

10 posted on 02/14/2010 4:55:12 PM PST by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective!)
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To: paulycy
That must be the squirrel in this vid!


11 posted on 02/14/2010 4:55:44 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: paulycy

12 posted on 02/14/2010 4:57:13 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: paulycy

LOL, so that was the ‘Fifth Beatle.’


13 posted on 02/14/2010 5:00:34 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: Daffynition

>Seriously. I think the UK has a series squirrel problem>

LOL!

The British papers often have squirrels, cats and other animal articles.


14 posted on 02/14/2010 5:01:00 PM PST by SoCalPol (Reagan Republican for Palin 2012)
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To: paulycy; All

15 posted on 02/14/2010 5:02:04 PM PST by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective!)
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To: Red in Blue PA

16 posted on 02/14/2010 5:05:41 PM PST by Red in Blue PA (If guns cause crime, then all of mine are defective!)
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To: Daffynition

Yikes!


17 posted on 02/14/2010 5:08:10 PM PST by paulycy (Demand Constitutionality. (Hi Mom.))
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To: Daffynition

18 posted on 02/14/2010 5:10:25 PM PST by BunnySlippers (I LOVE BULL MARKETS . . .)
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To: BunnySlippers; Viking2002

19 posted on 02/14/2010 5:13:17 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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To: paulycy; Red in Blue PA

20 posted on 02/14/2010 5:15:34 PM PST by Daffynition (What's all this about hellfire and Dalmatians?)
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