Twin brothers, aged 63, have set the British rollercoaster record after completing their 20,000th ride on The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Mark and Colin Brown, both from Birmingham, achieved the impressive milestone whilst seated in the front row of the north of England’s tallest rollercoaster.
Staff at the resort arranged a special celebration for the occasion, with fellow visitors in the queue cheering the brothers as they departed and upon their return.
The pair, who have become familiar faces at the Lancashire attraction, were treated to prime seating positions to mark their achievement on the 235ft tall, 5,497ft long ride.
Their record attempt nearly ended in disappointment when strong winds forced the attraction to close early on the day they had originally planned to complete their 20,000th circuit.
The twins were just six rides short of their target when weather conditions intervened.
Undeterred, the brothers returned the following morning when conditions had improved, allowing them to finally achieve their goal.
Mark and Colin first experienced the 71-metre-high rollercoaster back in May 2001, beginning a dedication to the ride that has spanned more than two decades.
Mark and Colin Brown set the record on The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach
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PLEASURE BEACH RESORT
The pair described the brief delay as only adding to their anticipation of the eventual success.
Andy Hygate, director of operations at the resort, described the occasion as “a really amazing atmosphere and a really nice day for them and for all the team”.
“They are certainly some of our most enthusiastic guests, we are used to seeing them on a regular basis.”
Mr Hygate said staff were equally thrilled about the achievement, saying: “We were as excited for them, as I think they were.”
Following their landmark ride, the brothers received their on-ride photograph, along with a certificate of recognition and congratulation from Pleasure Beach Resort.
The dedicated duo said they are proud of their achievement, adding even after all this time it has not “lost its thrill”.
Colin said: “We started in 2001 and the numbers have just built up from there.
“Whenever we’re on holiday for a fortnight in Blackpool, we go to the park every day. We’ve now been to Blackpool Pleasure Beach 1,354 times.
“We just go on the ride over and over again, otherwise we wouldn’t have got that number up to where it is.
“It depends on the queues, but the most we’ve ever been on the ride in one day is 70 times.”
Colin added: “It’s a high and fast rollercoaster, which is what we like. We prefer the more traditional rollercoasters to the swinging ones.
“Some people are scared of it, but we can’t be – we’ve been on it so many times. We’re going to carry on going on it – and maybe we will get to 30,000.”
Amanda Thompson OBE, CEO of Pleasure Beach Resort: “I want to extend a huge congratulations to Mark and Colin on an unprecedented achievement.
“En-route to reaching this milestone, they’ve become so well-liked and welcomed by both staff and guests alike at the park. A true fan favourite.
The Big One was opened to the public on May 28, 1994, as the tallest roller coaster in the world – until two years later, when Fujiyama was erected in Japan.
It is the second-tallest rollercoster in the UK, behind Thorpe Park’s Hyperia, which launched in 2024.