Detonator Bombs Away can be found quietly smouldering away in the Angry Birds Land area of the park, next to Nemesis Inferno. A modest drop tower, standing at only 115ft, Detonator Bombs Away brings new meaning to the phrase ‘Never judge a book by its cover’. Elsewhere in the world you can find drop towers three to four times Detonator’s height, but the opinion of many is that no tower can rival the sheer might of Detonator’s explosive drop. A Fabbri ‘Megadrop’ tower, it’s the pneumatic rams concealed at the tower’s peak that punch the 12-person gondola down the tower at speeds of up to 45mph. At the very bottom of the drop, riders experience an astonishing 5.5Gs – five and half times the force of gravity! Offering stunning views of the rest of the park, Detonator is up there with Thorpe Park’s most intense ride experience!

After being secured in your restraints, the ride sequence starts. The audio is as much part of the ride as the ride itself, and the deceptively playful soundtrack begins, accompanied by rhythmic ticking, counting down to your detonation. Once the gondola stops at the tower’s top, the countdown commences. Although some say the countdown removes the element of surprise, the sheer ferocity of the drop is enough to make up for it. Within three seconds you’ll be back down on terra firma trying to hold onto your stomach!

To Ride Detonator Bombs Away you must be at least 1.3m tall. People approaching a chest measurement of 51 inches should speak with a rides host before joining the queue.