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One of the UK’s tallest and longest zip wires that was unveiled at Kettering’s Wicksteed Park is being dismantled and removed after eight years.

The £200,000 RUSH activity tower attraction had been designed to attract thrill-seeking families looking for adrenaline-filled fun with a 40mph zip wire, climbing wall and ‘leap of faith’.

With three zip wires, visitors could take the plunge together across the parkland, ending up at the landing platform – helmet cameras recording the descent for souvenir videos.

The wooden platform for the zip wire RUSH is dismantled

But high maintenance and running costs led to the tower being out of action since the Covid pandemic just before the park went into administration in June 2020.

A spokesman for the park said: “Due to high maintenance and running costs the Adrenaline Tower has been out of action for the last few years. We have now taken the decision to remove it to make way for a new, exciting attraction, which we hope to have in place later this year.”

Wood from the structure will be used elsewhere in the park and the space freed up will house a new ‘exciting’ attraction.

The spokesman added: “The decision is part of our commitment to enhance the park’s attractions and to replace any old attractions which we close with something new and exciting.

The timber structure is being dismantled and will be reused across Wicksteed Park

“We are planning to recycle wood and other materials from the tower elsewhere in the park.”

This year new attraction Wicky’s Farmyard has already been added to the park where visitors to Wicksteed Park can meet animals including giant rabbits, pigs, goats, barn owls, ferrets, chickens, ducks and guinea pigs in a brand new animal-friendly enclosure.

History of RUSH

The first member of the public to go down the zip wire was 10-year-old Jacob Wynne from Burton Latimer in June 2014.

Rush Launched at Kettering's Wicksteed Park and included the Leap of Faith, a climbing wall and zip wire.
The first member of the public to go down the zip wire was Jacob Wynne from Burton Latimer in June 2014 — Rush Launched at Kettering's Wicksteed Park and included the Leap of Faith, a climbing wall and zip wire. The first member of the public to go down the zip wire was Jacob Wynne from Burton Latimer in June 2014

The tower had a Leap of Faith, allowing people to dive from a 10-metre high platform with only a support harness to break their fall, and a 14-metre climbing wall.

The 310metre-long zip wire had a top speed of 40mph and was as high as a six-storey building.

End of the line for Wicksteed Park thrill ride

History of RUSH