Amusement park worker sues for £200,000 claiming he suffered stroke and burst artery after trying to avoid hitting child on 100ft water slide

An amusement park worker who claimed he burst an artery in his neck and had a stroke after trying to avoid hitting a child on a 100ft water slide is suing his bosses for £200,000.Kristian Wright was riding an inflatable down the Waterforce slide at Blackgang Chine park on the Isle of Wight in August 2022 when he saw a child at the end of the slide.In a desperate bid to stop himself from crashing into the youngster, Mr Wright used his hands and feet to brake and slow himself down.The 38-year-old claims the near-miss burnt his hands and feet and damaged an artery in his neck which led to him suffering a stroke.He is now suing the operator of the 183-year-old park, Vectis Ventures Ltd, for more than £200,000 at the High Court after the incident left him disabled, unable to drive and struggling to climb stairs.Mr Wright claims an 'incompetent' colleague released the inflatable boat he jumped on without checking if the slide was clear.The amusement park admitted primary liability for the incident but disputes whether it caused the stroke, arguing that he was partially to blame for taking an unsafe route down the slide.On the park's website, the Waterforce slide is described as 'perfect for families, friends, and all thrill-seekers over 1m tall,' and promises 'an exhilarating ride like no other.' Kristian Wright, 38, was riding an inflatable boat down the Waterforce slide at Blackgang Chine park when he spotted a child at the bottomMr Wright's barrister Ben Hicks said it was routine for amusement park employees to go down the slide once they reach the end of a shift.In documents filed at the court he said: 'He therefore collected his belongings and took a boat from the conveyor and placed it on the lifting device of the middle slide before getting into the boat. '[The colleague] then launched the boat almost immediately, without having checked to see that the slide in question was clear.'Once Mr Wright reached the steep section of the slide, he could see down to the bottom where he realised the previous rider was still in her inflatable boat.'In order to avoid hitting her, the claimant therefore used his hands and feet to try and brake the boat before a collision occurred, eventually succeeding in doing so,' Mr Hicks said.He added that his client was 'immediately shocked and shaken by the experience,' which burnt his hands and wrists and injured his legs.Mr Wright was rushed to hospital and treated for his injuries but three weeks later he suffered an ischaemic stroke.His barrister said his bosses were to blame for the accident after they 'failed to take any reasonable care to ensure that the claimant was safe whilst in the park.' In a bid to avoid the crash, Mr Wright used his hands and feet to brake and slow down on the slideHe also claims that he had to work with 'incompetent and/or inadequately trained colleagues.'Despite receiving support from a stroke nurse, therapists and psychologists, his client 'remains significantly and substantially disabled and is expected to remain so,' Mr Hicks said.'His intended career in social work, for which he was training at the time of the accident, has been completely lost.'Defending the claim, the theme park's barrister Oliver Rudd accepted 'primary liability' for the accident but denies it having caused Mr Wright's stroke.'It is denied that the position from which the boats were launched did not provide a view of the slides, capable of ensuring that they were clear of other riders,' he said.'Radios were provided to the ride operators, which provided a means of communication by which operators of the slides could ensure that the slides were clear before launching riders down, and staff at the bottom of the slides could warn ride supervisors that the slides were not clear.'In all the circumstances, it is averred that the accident was partially caused and/or contributed to by the negligence of the claimant.'He claimed that CCTV footage showed the claimant looking down the slide where he could see the child before getting into the inflatable.'At this point, he would have seen that there was still a child on the slide, yet he proceeded to get into his boat with his personal belongings and say goodbye to the operative at the top of the slide, implying that the ride was clear and that he was "ready to go",' he said.'The claimant was fully trained and knew how to operate the ride. He should have waited until the slide was clear and in not doing so, he took no sufficient regard for his own safety or the safety of others using the ride.'Mr Wright’s claim has been filed at the High Court and will appear again for a full trial at a later date, unless the parties agree a settlement.Do YOU have a story? Email Joshua.Haining@dailymail.co.uk