A businesswoman from Blackburn was left stranded in Alton Towers with her boyfriend, from Clitheroe, after their car key “went absolutely flying” from one of the fastest rollercoasters in the UK.

Camilla Ainsworth, a former contestant on The Apprentice, was at the Stoke-on-Trent based theme park with boyfriend, and former Love Island star, Sam Jackson.

The former Westholme School pupil, said the couple were riding Rita Queen of Speed, regarded as the fifth fasted rollercoaster in the UK reaching speeds of 200kph in 2.5 seconds when they lost the keys.

She said: “Went to Alton Towers with Sam, having a lovely time. Next thing you know, the car key goes absolutely flying from the top of Rita into the abyss. We were stranded in Stoke on Trent.

“End of story and relationship… teasing, we got through it (just).”

Camilla said she called AA and car towing companies who initially said they could not pick them up until later that evening, at 8pm.

Sam and Camilla then ordered an Uber to deliver a spare key to them only to discover that a company had started to tow the vehicle. Luckily, the couple managed to stop the car from being taken away before it was too late.

Camilla, owner of consultancy business Camilla Consultancy, said: “After multiple calls with AA and towing companies who weren’t going to pick us up until 8pm the earliest, we had the stroke of genius to Uber the spare key to us… only to get to the car park and [see] the car is being towed.

“On paper it was an unlucky day but also super lucky because we got there before the car was removed. Never a dull day and I want one.

“I am still smiling and Sam managed to win me a toy (probably because it cost us £50 in attempts but still). We are calling her Rita for the memories.”

In 2018, Camilla became the youngest-ever finalist on BBC’s The Apprentice series at the age of 22.

She recently unveiled the new-look Specsavers store in Blackburn, which has undergone a £175,000 makeover.