Faulty lap restraint cited in death

HAVERFORDWEST, Wales, May 16 (UPI) -- A malfunctioning lap bar on a Narberth, Wales, amusement park ride was blamed Tuesday for causing a teen to plunge 100 feet to her death, a report said.

Hayley Williams, 16, of Pontypool, Wales, was killed in April 2004 when she fell from the Hydro ride -- a 24-person boat rollercoaster -- at the Oakwood amusement park in west Wales and into a pool below.

"We were laughing and chanting, the dead girl's sister Hannah Williams told a Haverfordwest coroner's jury.

"When we got to the top, everyone braced themselves before going down," Web site icWales reported of the 15-year-old's testimony. "The next thing I remember is everyone screaming that Hayley had fallen."

The sister said automatic lap-restraint bars set twice before the ride took off.

Elizabeth Humphries said she first believed that only her friend's rain poncho fell to the ground.

"Then I realized the seat was empty and I just started screaming," Humphries testified during the first day of an expected 3-day hearing.