British theme park Alton Towers has unveiled a ride that combines virtual reality and a real-life rollercoaster that has potential to be one of the scariest attractions yet.

Galactica launches at the site in Staffordshire this coming April. Riders lie prone in a usual rollercoaster car, but they also each wear a virtual reality headset device which then mixes the physical sensation of travelling with a graphical space adventure.

The coaster therefore gives each rider the impression that they are travelling amongst the stars at speed, with the VR visuals synchronised to the twists and turns of the Galactica track.

"Galactica uses ground breaking technology to give riders a breathtaking and completely unique rollercoaster experience," said Alton Towers' marketing director, Gill Riley.

"There is nowhere else in the world that people can experience the feeling of a flying rollercoaster combined with soaring through the universe. For two minutes, our guests will be transported into space and we believe Galactica showcases the future for theme parks around the world - it's a complete game changer."

The ride takes place on a 2,760 foot track and pulls a total of 3.5gs of G-force on the journey.

The park is recovering from a severe rollercoaster crash last year that proved to be life-changing for some guests. The unique Galactica could be a great attraction to get visitors back through the gates.