Country park facilities suspended after 'incident'

Water sports and bike hire facilities at a country park in South Yorkshire have been suspended following an "incident" at the site.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Rother Valley Country Park said the incident "affecting an individual user of the facilities" had led to the decision to temporarily close the hire bases for training and additional checks on equipment and operating procedures.

They apologised for any inconvenience to anyone planning to visit, but said the safety of visitors and staff was the "top priority".

Teams were working "at pace" to complete inspections and assessments, with the aim of reopening facilities as soon as possible, the spokesperson added.

The temporary closures only applied to the water sports hire and cycle hire facilities, according to the statement from the park, which is owned and managed by Rotherham Council.

The park as a whole remained open to visitors, with the cafes and water ski base unaffected, the statement said.

The hire facilities were expected to be reopened "on a phased basis", with some due to be back in use in a matter of days.

Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North