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A fairground owner has been slapped with a warning and ordered to improve safety after a teenager had her scalp ripped off on one of his rides. Charles Cole must implement changes by today following an investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which found multiple safety hazards on "the Showtime" - a house-of-fun-style ride.

HSA said there was a "risk of entrapment and/or entanglement" at the edge of the central side of the ride's hinge mechanism on the ground floor. The Showtime's moving staircase also posed a risk to fun fair goers. HSE added: "There is a risk of entrapment at the bottom of the stairs where the mechanism slides into the floor level and at the top of the stairs where the moving stairs slide against the back panel."

This comes after the horrifying incident of an 18-year-old having her scalp ripped off on the Showtime at Netley Marsh Steam and Craft Show on July 26.

Her hair got caught in the ride's rollers underneath the moving floor, ripping it from her head, a parent said.

Mr Cole told the Daily Echo it was a "freak accident" as the ride had been checked daily. He said: "The ride is 20 years old, but it had been tested that day. This was a freak accident."

A woman who said she helped give the girl first aid, not realising the severity of the incident, told the BBC there was "shock and panic" at the scene.

She added: "One of the girl's friends came down and said how serious it was and some of us offered assistance. It's very shocking it could happen on a fairground ride that young children go on. This must never happen again."

At the time, an HSE spokesperson said the incident was "local authority enforced and with Hampshire police".