ADRENALIN junkies will have a new way to test their mettle, after Adventure Island was given permission to build its latest ride.

The 250ft-high Aeronaut ride - believed to be the only one of its kind in the country - was approved by Southend Council, despite planning officers' concerns its height might interfere with Southend Airport's air safety zone.

The ride will carry 24 passengers, who will begin at the top of one tower before plummeting down to a second tower 82ft below.

Steve Kearney, head of planning at the council, told the development control committee: "It's the first of it's kind that I know of and certainly the first of its kind in the country."

The base of one of the towers would be next to the Helter Skelter ride and the other by the Go Kart track, rising high above Southend seafront.

Southend Airport did not object and councillors hoped the new ride would be enough to keep drawing more tourists to the seafront, as thrillseekers look to more and more extreme rides.

Ron Price (Con, Prittlewell) said: "This will be another attraction that draws people into Southend. We are constantly looking for landmarks and this will be a landmark for Southend seafront. Blackpool has got its tower, we are going to have this, whatever it's going to be called."

However, Denis Garne (Lab, Kursaal) said: "It's the height of most cathedrals and it would be over the clock of Big Ben.

"I wonder if, at that height, it will be substantial enough to withstand the stress."