A teenager has described how she was flung from a fairground ride while “20ft high in the air” after the seat barrier apparently came loose.

Erin Jennings was with friends at the Charles Cole’s Family Funfair in Southampton on Saturday when the accident happened.

The 17-year-old, from Southampton, suffered a black eye and a suspected broken rib in the fall and was taken to hospital for treatment.

She told the PA news agency: “I do not really remember anything about it. I remember getting in but I do not remember much after until I was in the ambulance and people were talking to me.

“My eye and face hurt and I went back to hospital because of the way I was breathing and a pain in the ribs, it could be a fracture.

“I am glad I can still walk. I am lucky that I do not have any serious injuries. There were children on the ride and it could have been much worse.”

Erin said she believes the metal bar acting as a restraint had come open, causing her to be flung from the ride.

She said her parents have contacted the funfair organisers but have not had a response from them about what had happened.

Friend Ella Anderson, 18, said: “We got on the ride and they must not have shut the gate properly, it flew up and Erin flew out.

“They stopped it and I was able to get out but none of my friends could and I ran to Erin – I thought, honestly, she was dead. It was awful.

“We thought at first she had landed on some metal but luckily she landed on the grass. I could see she had hurt her eye but I couldn’t tell if anything else was wrong. It was really frightening.”

A spokesman for Charles Cole’s Family Funfair said: “At this present moment we have notified all the correct authorities and we are waiting for the health and safety to finish their report.”