Water slide manufacturer Wiegand.Waterrides has created a new water slide concept in partnership with Up and Down Engineering.

Billed as a 'hybrid roller coaster and water slide', the Slide Coaster is a duelling slide that combines the excitement of a roller coaster with the joyful experience of a water slide.

It features a launch start, thus eliminating the need for lift hills and loading stations, and, unlike tradtional water slides, it has a roller coaste track that runs alongside the water slide.

It is powered by a unique launch system trolley that travels along the rollercoaster track and has mechanical arms that can push the specially-designed raft seats up to speeds of 50 mph in just a few seconds.

Hendrik Wiegand, MD of Wiegand.Waterrides, said: "With our joint patent of the pusher mechanism, we can control the strong acceleration of 0.8 g to the sliding direction while ensuring maximum safety. With this new technology, guests experience thrills like they have never experienced before."

Frank Heimes, CEO of Up and Down Engineering, said: "We wanted to combine the spectacular thrill of a roller coaster with the ultimate fun of a water slide."

The slide, which can accomodate up to 720 riders per hour, will consist of two 160m water slides alongside a track and will stand at 8m tall.