THE THEME park rollercoaster which crashed in North Lanarkshire leaving two children in a serious condition had just re-opened after being shut down for a day due to a fault.

It has also emerged that the Tsunami ride at M&Ds amusement park at Strathclyde Park in Motherwell, which crashed on Sunday afternoon had only been passed as safe a matter of weeks previously.

M&Ds director Douglas Taylor has insisted the theme park rollercoaster crash was the "first incident of this type" in 50 years of business.

The company confirmed that the ride had been shut down for the whole of the previous day due to a "minor electrical fault" and was "fully operational" when the park opened at 11am on Sunday.

The identity of the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme-registered scrutineer, that passed the ride fit during an annual safety check at the beginning of June forms part of the Health and Safety Executive investigation.

Ten people were initially taken to hospital after the Tsunami ride derailed and hit the ground at M&D's amusement park.

Two boys, aged 11 and 12, remain in a serious condition at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, one with chest, abdominal and leg injuries and the other with arm and hand injuries.

In total, six others remain in hospital including a 19-year-old man with a knee injury, a 14-year-old girl with chest injuries and an 11-year-old boy with head and leg injuries.

Among those already discharged from hospital was a 25-year-old woman who was walking past the rollercoaster when the carriage plunged to the ground.

Police Scotland said she was checked over and released without any injuries.

Officers are now investigating the crash with the Health and Safety Executive and engineers are inspecting the Tsunami.

M&Ds said the Tsunami had and passed its independent safety inspection in early June, 2016.

“Each and every ride within the theme park is safety checked on a daily basis and undergoes a thorough independent inspection every 12 months," said Mr Taylor.

It is not the first time M&D's has had problems with its rides, including Tsunami.

In July 2011, nine passengers, including children, were stranded for more than eight hours when it came to a halt 60ft above the ground.

In March this year, eight people had to be rescued by firefighters in a cherry picker after the Tornado rollercoaster stopped working about 20ft off the ground.