Eight people spent the first few hours of 2019 trapped high in the air on a broken fairground ride in France.

Firefighters had to rescue three adults and five teenagers who were stuck for more than eight hours from New Year’s Eve into the early hours.

The revellers, the youngest of whom was 13, were suspended 52m (170ft) above ground in the city of Rennes.

Those watching told newspaper Ouest-France the pendulum ride had broken down at around 8.30pm on Monday, making noises and sparking.

The fault left one of the two passenger sections suspended at the highest point.

Firefighters rescuing the passengers (Antoine Agasse/AFP/Getty) (ANTOINE AGASSE/AFP/Getty Images)

Firefighters used a helicopter to give the passengers harnesses so they could be winched on to a ladder.