BOURNEMOUTH’S newest and most terrifying attraction, a unique pier to shore zip wire, has finally been opened to intrepid thrillseekers.

The 250-metre dual zip wire carries riders from the end of Bournemouth Pier across the waves to a landing platform on the beach.

It was tested out by members of the media yesterday ahead of a VIP launch party.

It is due to open to members of the public on Saturday and there has been substantial interest, with pre-booked slots being snapped up online.

The ride costs £18 for an adult and £14 for a child and has been funded and built by pier operators Openwide International.

Rory Holburn, operations director at Openwide, said they had attempted to make the zip wire as challenging as possible. “Once you get brave enough to go up to the tower, you attach yourself to a 12mm wire, hang on for dear life and fly across the sea,” he said.

PierZip is not actually open to the public yet, but is expected to be in the next few days.

More follows.

Here's Echo editor Toby Granville giving it a whirl.

And reporter Mel Vass wrote this about her experience: 

There was no shortage of volunteers amongst Echo reporters to be the first to try the pier to shore zip line. I’ve written stories about the project from the very start and it would have felt wrong not to have had a go on the finished ride.

The nerves kicked in as I navigated a narrow, open tread spiral staircase, which seems to go on forever. The green sea swirling underneath looks more and more menacing the further you climb.

At the top there’s a quick safety check but all I could feel was the wooden platform wobbling in the breeze. The gates were opened to allow our photographer to snap pictures of Gayle McDonald and myself looking suitably terrified but this came with a warning: “Don’t lean too far out girls, you could go at any time.”

As soon as you’re off the adrenaline kicks in and the ride is a blast. But jumping off (or teetering off, which is more accurate in my case) is a real battle of mind over matter.

It looks like an awful long way to the beach but it’s over in what seems like moments. You come into land at speed and stop with a  jolt.

I can hardly remember a thing about it, except for the fact it was amazing fun. I might just have to do it again.