The largest payout for an accident recorded in the leisure industry is the £5m handed down against Merlin Entertainment following an accident on its Smiler rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers in the UK.

Record pay-out after coaster crash

Two passengers in a wrecked carriage each lost a leg in the accident, which the Crown Court described as “a catastrophic failure” by the park.

Merlin, which also owns Legoland and Madame Tussauds, reviewed its health and safety precautions following the accident, in July of last year. Sixteen people were injured in the accident, for which the park admitted responsibility.

It was the second big pay-out for an accident recorded against the company in recent years. In 2011 it was fined £350,000 after a man fell to his death from an unguarded bridge at its Warwick Castle attraction.