A top Birmingham Royal Ballet soloist who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent has become the first to take on Alton Towers' newest ride - Toxicator. 

Toxicator at Alton Towers, which opens on Saturday (15 March), is the only topspin ride of its kind in the UK with extreme spin patterns exerting heart-pounding centrifugal forces on those brave enough to ride it. 

Karla Doorbar, 32, was asked to put the record-breaking topspin ride through its paces as a result of her lifelong dedication to mastering the pirouette. 

The mother of one estimates she has unleashed close to half a million pirouettes in a career that has seen her spin across some of ballet's greatest stages at the Royal Opera House, Sadler's Wells, the Birmingham Hippodrome and across the globe. 

Karla said: "Throughout my training and career I've devoted countless hours to perfecting the pirouette - whether performing on world-renowned stages or in the studio. 

"It has taken immense levels of focus over many years to develop the strength and power that this entails. 

Karla has unleashed close to half a million pirouettes in a career. (Caters Photography)

"So when Alton Towers invited me to be the first to take on the unrivalled spinning power of Toxicator I jumped at the chance. 

"Riding it is an incredible experience and will give riders an unrivalled sense of the intense power of spin." 

Standing at a record-breaking 78ft high thanks to its setting on a 16ft elevated platform within the park's Forbidden Valley, Toxicator is flanked by the ominous Nemesis Reborn, which was revamped last year after an 18-month transformation.

Growing up in nearby Stoke-on-Trent she was a frequent visitor to Alton Towers as a child - and as a mum to a 10-month-old daughter, is looking forward to many more trips in the future. 

Bianca Sammut, vice president of Alton Towers Resort said: "Toxicator is the latest example of how Alton Towers continues to set new standards for heart-pounding attractions. 

"As one of Britain's most accomplished ballerinas there are few people who know more about spins and pirouettes than Karla - which is why we are so delighted that she is amongst the first to experience the head-spinning thrills of Toxicator."

Those brave enough to submit to the spin can do so from Saturday 15 March when the record-breaking ride officially opens. 

Guests can also experience the ride for the first time in the dark as part of the Alton After Dark event.

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