A funfair engineer has spoken of his relief after being cleared of any wrongdoing by an industry watchdog.

Barry Ramsey's Wickford-based company Inspection and Testing escaped being struck off the list of registered examiners following complaints about his work.

Mr Ramsey approved two rides on which three people died in May - one in Shepherd's Bush, London, the other in Redruth, Cornwall.

However, police and Health and safety investigations into the two incidents are set to continue.

Mr Ramsey said: "I am extremely relieved. It has been a very bad time for me and my family.

"My daughter's wedding had to be hacked apart because I was not making any money. Now, at last, I feel justice has been done.

"I am a very capable safety examiner - it was just unfortunate my name was on the certificates of these rides when the accidents happened."

Mr Ramsey was cleared by the National Association for Leisure Industry Certification (Naflic), which maintains a list of registered inspectors.

It had received complaints about Mr Ramsey from Government regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Showmen's Guild.

If it had found against him, Naflic could have struck him off - effectively, putting him out of work.

Mr Ramsey said: "I just want to get on with doing my job and to get my family life back together again. While all this has been hanging over me there have been times when I have walked into my own pub and people have stopped talking."

The HSE and Scotland Yard are holding a joint investigation into the two accidents in Cornwall and London. The HSE still believes his examinations could be unreliable and has ordered the re-testing of up to 800 rides, including those at Southend's Adventure Island - which proved to be safe.

A prohibition notice served on Mr Ramsey, forbidding him from carrying out inspections, is set to remain until the probe concludes. Mr Ramsey, who is appealing against the ban later this month, confirmed police officers had called at his house and taken away papers relating to the two accidents.

He added: "That is a natural thing to do as part of any investigation, but, since then, I have had no communication with them."

(Right) Relief - engineer Barry Ramsey

(Left) Tragedy - the Top Spin ride on which Stacey Rowe, below right, lost her life

Health and police investigations go on

Barry Ramsey still remains under investigation by police following two fairground accidents this year.

He approved rides in Redruth, Cornwall, and in Shepherd's Bush, London, on which three people died.

In the first incident, Helen and Rob Rowe's twelve-year-old daughter Stacey, from Truro, Cornwall, was thrown off a Top Spin ride at the Anderton and Rowland fairground in Cornwall in May.

The Top Spin ride at the centre of investigations carries a line of riders to a height of about 30ft before spinning their seats until they are suspended upside down.

Stacey slipped from her seat, hit the ground and died of multiple injuries at nearby Treliske hospital.

Mr Ramsey has said he is "very grieved" at lives being lost. He added: "Accidents happen in any walk of life. People die on planes, trains and in cars - it is a fact of life."

In Shepherds Bush this May, a ride car broke loose - a woman and a man were killed as the car flew off and landed on a nearby tent.

Det Sgt Stephen Gregory, who is investigating the London accident for Hammersmith CID, said it was a joint investigation between the police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

He said: "The bulk of the investigation will emanate from the HSE who are examining the ride at their laboratories.

"We are also looking into similar incidents involving Mr Ramsey who certified the rides as safe."

"There is an awful lot of work to do on this and it will take a while."

Fact file

Fairground accidents - including several fatalities - have hit the headlines this year:

MARCH:

Teenage girl from Gosport, Hampshire, had emergency surgery after falling under a ride.

MAY:

Ten children and adults injured when a waltzer car flew into a crowd at Flitwick, Bedfordshire.

Girl, 12, killed when she fell from a swinging gondola ride at Redruth, Cornwall.

Two people killed when a ride car fell to the ground, injuring its two other occupants in Shepherds Bush

JULY:

Eleven-year-old boy died after falling from a Blackpool ride.

Woman and three children injured in a fall from a Blackpool Pleasure Beach ride.

AUGUST:

12-inch bolt came off a ride at Coney Beach in Porthcawl, fracturing a teenager's skull.

By Samuel Smith

Reporter's e-mail: sam.smith@notes.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.