Alton Towers superfan who has visited attraction 15,000 times gets spooky treat at theme park
A Staffordshire teacher who has visited the haunted house at Alton Towers 15,000 times enjoyed a spooktacular treat when his pupils joined him at the attraction.
Since its relaunch as The Curse At Alton Manor last month, Michael Eley, 51, has been on the immersive dark ride 208 times.
Aware of Michael’s long-term love of the ride, Alton Towers Resort approached him with the opportunity to take a group of Year Six pupils from Denstone College where he teaches, for a special visit to the renowned attraction.
Michael, moved to the village of Alton, Staffs in 2013 to be closer to the theme park, which he first visited in 1976.
He said: “It was such a privilege to be invited to take some of our pupils on the ride. They were absolutely buzzing afterwards. The haunted house at Alton Towers has been a passion of mine for three decades now and I’m delighted that the Curse At Alton Manor takes it to the next level.”
Mr Eley, a teacher at Denstone College, Uttoxeter, said: "My brother used to drag me onto haunted houses wherever he could find them - and I've loved the Haunted House at Alton Towers from day one.
"It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up the first time I rode it and it continued to do so to this day."
The teacher was one of the first people in line when the ride was reopened saying he had "sleepless nights" in the lead-up to the unveiling.
Michael said: "It has meant so much to me for decades that I would be worried some of the magic might have gone.
"But I discovered that it was better than it has ever been. I was totally blown away by how it has been updated. I couldn't be happier."
The teacher was also given an extra spooktacular visit when Alton Towers approached him to offer him the opportunity to take a group of year six pupils on the ride.
The teacher continued: "The Haunted House ride at Alton Towers had been a passion of mine for three decades and I'm delighted that the Curse At Alton Manor takes it to the next level.
"There's a real magic when you walk through those gates. It's a place where you can forget all of your troubles."
As the latest UK theme park attraction to open, The Curse At Alton Manor is expected to welcome thousands of families from across the UK over the Easter period.
