'UK's first' alpine coaster gets go-ahead in Snowdonia

Image copyright Wiegand

Image caption The alpine coaster will be similar to this elevated toboggan ride

The UK's first alpine coaster is to be built in Snowdonia.

The national park authority has granted planning permission for the 0.6-mile (1km) elevated toboggan ride.

The attraction is being planned by the Zipworld group, which runs Europe's longest zipline above Bethesda's Penrhyn quarry.

The £1.5million project would be based at Zip World Fforest, between Betws-y-Coed and Llanrwst, and could create more than 20 jobs.

Alpine coasters are normally located in ski resorts to provide an income during the summer - the world's longest is in the resort of Hoch-Imst, Austria.

The company behind the scheme said this one would be the first of its kind in the UK.