THREE people were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance after they had to be rescued after climbing the Bournemouth Big Wheel on Bonfire Night.

Fire crews from Southbourne, Redhill, Westbourne and Poole, including an aerial ladder platform, rushed to the Pier Approach after receiving a call at 10.30pm on what is usually one of their busiest nights of the year.

They arrived to find two men and a woman on the wheel, which is 35 metres high and 18-metres at its central cog.

A spokesman for the service said: “The female was rescued from the central cog area and the two males from one of the gondolas.”

Onlooker Louis Elliott said: “There was a lot of clapping as the people were brought down.”

Dorset Police said: “An 18-year-old man from Harrow in London, a 20-year-old man from Aldershot in Hampshire and a 19-year-old woman from Walton-on-Thames in Surrey were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and are assisting officers with their enquiries. They have been released without charge and will face no further action.”

The Bournemouth Big Wheel is run by Observation Wheel UK which says it takes ‘entertainment to new heights’.

“We specialise in giant observation wheels for stand-alone attractions in city centres and major events,” it says. “Giant Wheels are gaining popularity as a valuable addition to mixed-use and leisure developments. They create traffic and offer an interesting return on investment potential.”

The Daily Echo asked the company for a comment on its safety procedures and if they would be subject to review.

However, an unidentified spokesman said they were ‘still looking into it’.

Town centre councillor Mike Greene said: “If people are stupid enough to want to do something like that there’s probably little you can do to stop them.

“In the end I think there has to be balance between having to provide security for every item that’s accessible to the public and people having a basic amount of common sense.

“We don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of hundreds and thousands due to the stupidity of a few people."

He said that services were always going to be busy during times like Bonfire Night and that “to have to waste time on idiots is really unacceptable”.

BCP Council said: "We are aware of an incident that took place at Bournemouth’s Ferris Wheel which the police have been investigating."