Four people have been injured in a fairground ride accident in England.

It happened when part of a ride on Brighton Pier in Sussex became loose and detatched, hitting a passerby, according to reports. Four people were hurt in the accident which occurred just after 3pm, reports the BBC. The ride operator hit an emergency button to bring it to a stop after realising that something was wrong. One male teenager was stretchered off the pier to an ambulance that had responded to the incident. He was taken to hospital to be treated for a leg injury. The rest of the injuries are not thought to be serious. Others on the scene were "shaken" but not hurt, according to the local ambulance service.

Four people were injured when a fairground ride on Brighton Palace Pier reportedly failed. https://t.co/XWnL1MtGxg pic.twitter.com/Hga3jdVGoN

— BBC Sussex (@BBCSussex) April 8, 2019

The Air Race ride spins riders over the sea in the air before turning upside down, promising to "test even the most experienced of thrill seekers." Management at the pier has said it had spoken to the makers of the Air Race ride and that it will "co-operate fully with any investigation." This type of accident was unusual, said pier chief executive Anne Ackford. "This is very rare for something to be unexplained. "The operator did the right thing by pressing the emergency button as part of our well rehearsed crisis plan. "We have spoken with the manufacturer who will be flying in from Italy for an investigation."