Boris Johnson may have given zip wires a bad name when he was left dangling on one in 2012 but an attraction in London hopes to put that right.
Thrill-seekers will be able to zip above the capital at 30mph on a temporary wire in Archbishop’s Park behind the South Bank. Its creators claim that it is the fastest urban zip line in the world.
Visitors have to ascend a 35m tower to a platform above the park and launch themselves, clad in a harness and helmet, down the 225m zip wire, soaring above treetops and a football pitch before reaching the other end in a matter of seconds. An adult ticket costs £22.50 and a child ticket costs £16.50, with £49 buying two rides, a T-shirt and a photograph.
Visitors are advised to wear trousers or shorts, rather than skirts, while flip-flops and sandals are not allowed and long hair must be tied back. The attraction will run until October 1, though it may close in storms, and visitors must be able to climb ten flights of stairs, with time slots for people with certain disabilities.