Report by Andy Bevan

A new ride is being installed at Alton Towers in Staffordshire.

ITV has been given exclusive access to the first rollercoaster attraction to be installed at the theme park since the Smiler in 2013, which injured16 people - four of whom were left with life-changing injuries - after two carriages collided in 2015.

The new ride, known only as SW8 - Secret Weapon 8 - is a wooden rollercoaster, marking a step away from more commonly seen steel structures.

Work began on the attraction two years ago on the site of the old Flume ride in the centre of the park. It took more than 100 construction workers to pour the concrete for the foundations after 50,000 tonnes of earth was moved away.

The theme of the attraction remains secret but the creator says it won't bejust a rollercoaster made out of wood.

The wooden rollercoaster itself is just one small part of the experience. Bradley Wynne - Creative Director

Alton Towers has said lessons have been learned after the Smiler crash left 4 people of the 16 people injured with serious injuries.

Parent company Merlin Entertainments was fined £5 million for breaches of health and safety after the incident.

The Operations Director of Alton Towers said that safety is important for everyone.

Safety is the number one priority for us, for our guests and for our staff. Francis Jackson - Operations Director

The SW8 will be tested 500 times with the ride cars containing water-filled dummies, and then extensively re-tested using real people.

It will debut in March 2018 when Alton Towers re-opens after a winter break.