Alton Towers is set to open for the new season this weekend, despite other theme parks closing due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The iconic Staffordshire theme park will open on March 21, as originally planned. The park will be closely following government guidelines around coronavirus.

A Merlin spokesperson said: “The health and safety of our guests and our staff is always our top priority and we will take all necessary precautions to ensure their continued welfare.

“We have restricted employee travel to higher risk countries, implemented enhanced cleaning regimes at our attractions, and informed our teams of coronavirus symptoms as well as the importance of good hygiene practices.

“Like many businesses, we continue to monitor the situation closely and are in regular contact with local authorities so we may respond quickly to any developments,” the spokesperson continued.