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Free park entry for A-Level failures

The park is offering free entry to students who get U grades in all their A-level exams sat this summer.

The freebie offer for exam failures begins on A-level results day on Thursday, August 19 and runs for three days until the Saturday.

It is the latest gimmick from Alton Towers which claims it is celebrating the underdog.

In its publicity it states: "A-level results are out and a number of downhearted, doom-laden kids will be facing their own 'D for dunce day' without passing a single exam.

"However, they need not despair. Alton Towers has the best antidote - frustrated failures qualify for a freebie.

"A-level failures who fancy screaming away their woes, can get free entry when they turn up with their result slip and a photo ID."

An Alton Towers spokesman said: "We just wanted to cheer up all those kids who didn't do as well as they thought, and turn a bad day into a fun day for them.

"Usually, it's the clever kids that get rewarded, so we're turning this notion on its head.

"At least they can then boast to their mates that they won't have to pay to have a great day!"

Politicians in Staffordshire today questioned why students with U-grades were being singled out for special treatment.

Staffordshire Moorlands MP Charlotte Atkins said: "It is clearly a gimmick by Alton Towers. I sympathise with any student who has got a U-grade and I am sure they worked very hard and it is very disappointing for them.

"Having said that I think there will be lots of students who have got very high grades who think they should be allowed similar access to Alton Towers to congratulate them."

Stoke Central MP Mark Fisher said: "It is a very curious piece of commercial marketing whose logic does not seem very clear. Maybe it is well-intentioned but I think people will be baffled by what Alton Towers proposes."

Source: The Sentinel