Horror as mother and her three-year-old daughter are ‘flung’ from a spinning teacup ride at famed Margate amusement park

A mother and her three-year-old daughter were left injured after they were ‘flung’ from a spinning teacup ride at a famed amusement park.

Kate Davies and her daughter Poppy were having a pleasant family day out as they spun around on the teacup at Dreamland Margate in Kent.

However, moments later horror struck as the ride detached from its base, sending  the pair crashing into the railings before people screamed and rushed to help. 

The ‘traumatic’ incident left Kate feeling dizzy with blurry vision and nasty cuts and bruises, while little Poppy suffered a bump to her head.

Kate’s son Freddie, eight. who was on another teacup, also suffered a cut lip from being shaken around when the ride malfunctioned and has been put off theme parks after witnessing the ordeal.

Kate Davies  (pictured) was left with nasty cuts and briefly blurred vision after she and her three-year-old daughter Poppy were flung from a teacup ride

After the ride malfunctioned in Dreamland Margate, the toddler was left with a bump on her head whilst her brother Freddie (bottom left) has been put off theme parks entirely

Kate said: ‘It’s pretty horrible. For my children it was pretty traumatic because we’d gone there for a fun day out and then quite quickly into the day all of this happened.’

The 38-year-old teacher and her husband William had taken their two children to Dreamland last Wednesday for what they hoped would be a fun family day out.

The family headed to the teacups, with Kate and Poppy hopping in one teacup and Freddie in another.

When asked by the operator if they would like to be spun, little Poppy enthusiastically replied yes.

‘She was spinning the teacup every time we went past and the next thing I knew, the entire teacup detached from the base and, where it was spinning, flung forwards into the ride’s railings,’ Kate said.

‘I just remember it flinging forwards and this really severe pain in the back of my head. I had my daughter next to me.

‘I could hear people sort of screaming and I could hear my husband William.

‘He had just turned around to put his jacket in our bag and then he heard all this screaming.

‘He could see the ride had come apart, and then he was frightened because he couldn’t see exactly what happened to us initially, so he was panicking.’

I just remember it flinging forwards and this really severe pain in the back of my head,’ Katie said

Dreamland called an ambulance for the family but operators said the wait would be long, so William, 41, drove his wife and children to the QEQM Hospital

Kate’s scratches and bruises after the incident at Dreamland Margate

Poppy was lifted out of the cup as Dreamland staff and members of the public rushed over to help.

Meanwhile, people surrounded Kate, asking her if she was okay and could stand.

‘I remember the back of my head and arm were really painful,’ the mother-of-two said.

‘People were asking if I could stand up, but I just felt really weak and really dizzy.

‘I said, ‘I don’t think I can’, and then the vision in my right eye went really blurry.’

Dreamland called an ambulance for the family but operators said the wait would be long, so William, 41, drove his wife and children to the QEQM Hospital.

The trio were all checked over and later discharged.

Kate said: ‘It was actually very fortunate that we landed like we did because we could have got our arms stuck in the railings or our legs – or the bang on the head could have been more severe or my daughter could have been trapped.’

She added that staff on the day were ‘very helpful and supportive’ and offered some free food and drinks.

Dreamland bosses have also invited the family to return to the theme park but they are all feeling unsure.

‘People were asking if I could stand up, but I just felt really weak and really dizzy,’ Kate said

Kate and her two children Freddie and Poppy were assessed at hospital and later discharged

‘We were looking to book Legoland but William is now saying he doesn’t want to go,’ Katie said.

‘The last thing we want is to have a situation where our family doesn’t want to go to any theme parks because prior to that my son loved going on rides.

‘I love those sorts of rides as well but it does put you off because if something as minor as the teacups can go wrong, and you have those sorts of injuries, it’s terrifying to think what could happen on a bigger one.

‘We still haven’t had an explanation as to what even went wrong.

‘It just made us concerned because you just think, ‘I don’t know if the rides are being maintained properly’.’

A spokesperson from Dreamland Margate said: ‘On Wednesday 31.07.24 an incident occurred on the cups and saucers attraction, one of the rides for younger visitors at Dreamland Margate, Kent.

‘Dreamland’s standard safety procedures were put in place, overseen by the Park Manager. 

‘The family was checked over and given immediate care by the qualified first aiders on site. Dreamland has been in touch with the family subsequently.

‘The cups and saucer attraction has been repaired and certified safe for use and the family have been invited to return to Dreamland at a time of their choice.

‘All rides are independently certified by ADIPS. The safety and wellbeing of all visitors to Dreamland is a top priority.’