A 10-year-old girl was reportedly hospitalised after being hit on the head while on a waterslide at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, on 7 July.

The Tornado ride, which was launched in May this year, is Great America’s newest attraction. Riders sit on a four-passenger inflatable raft and go through a 60-foot wide funnel before landing in a splash pool.

Newspaper reports from the Chicago area said that the girl, named as Keely Vercellotti, fell out of the raft and suffered a three-inch gash in her forehead. Her friend Dylan Lovelace, 10, escaped with a bump.

The Chicago Sun-Times said that the girl received more than 20 stitches and was treated for concussion.

A spokesperson for the waterpark said: “This is the one and only time someone has been transported from the park because of the Tornado. Six Flags stands by its safety record and the safety of this ride.”

Great America re-opened the ride on 9 July after inspectors found that it was not at fault. Details: www.sixflags.com