Chessington World of Adventure has shut down operations due to a shock water shortage
A popular British theme park has been forced to close due to a water shortage as the country prepares for its fifth heatwave this summer.
Chessington World of Adventures Resort theme park in South West London has confirmed it has temporarily shut down in response to the issue.
In a social media post, the business shared: "Due to a water outage in the local area, Chessington will unfortunately be closed today.
"Please do not travel to theme park if you have tickets booked today. We are sorry for any disappointment caused and thank you for your understanding.
"All tickets booked for today will be automatically revalidated under our Return Promise and can be used on a future date."
Back in July 2018, the popular theme park was forced to temporarily shut down after a broken water main in the local area impacted operations.
The latest figures suggest that around 1.5 million guests and visits visit Chessington resort every year, making it a major pillar of the local community.
Like most attractions in the UK, attendance plummeted during the Covid-19 pandemic as a result of lockdowns, with 2020 seeing only 510,000 pass through the partk.
Internationally, Chessington World of Adventures ranks as one of the top 20 theme parks in Europe.
The resort's water outage dilemma comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues new heat-health alerts (HHA) for nine regions in England.
Concerningly, this latest warning is sounding the alarm that rising temperatures this week may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Amber alerts are being put in place for Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East, London, South West and North West regions.
These alerts will be in place from 9 am on Tuesday, August 11 to 9 pm on Friday, August 14. The North East will be under a yellow alert during the same period.
A spokesperson from Chessington World of Adventures said: "We are currently experiencing operational disruption due to a burst water main that is affecting the local area.
"As a result, the attraction is closed today while our teams work closely with Thames Water and local partners to restore normal operations as quickly and safely as possible.
"We appreciate the patience and understanding of our guests and can confirm that anyone impacted will be automatically revalidated under our Return Promise. The safety of our guests and employees remains our highest priority."
