THRILL-SEEKERS will soon be able to hop on an exciting new £1 million ride at Adventure Island as lorries carrying the huge drop tower arrived today.

A crane rolled into the seafront theme park as four lorry loads carrying all the parts for the new 38-metre drop tower ride - named Vertigo - arrived this morning.

The Western Esplanade attraction is on track for its hotly-anticipated opening, as bosses revealed to the Echo last month that the ride would be unveiled after the Easter holidays.

Marc Miller, managing director for the Stockvale Group joined the firm’s head of engineering in Italy in March to test out the ride which was constructed and kitted out in Adventure Island logos before being delivered to Southend.

The "thrilling" 16-seater ride will be even taller than the City Wheel attraction, which opened to visitors in December 2022.

The fearsome drop tower will see theme-park goers strapped in as the ride slowly rises before it plummets back to ground at speed.

It will also be cycled as a rotating viewing tower on occasion, after the success of the City Wheel with older park visitors.