Thrill seekers have already ranked Alton Towers' new rollercoaster the best ride at the theme park - despite it only having been open a matter of weeks.

Wicker Man is now considered visitors' favourite ride at the Staffordshire theme park, with a high proportion of those quizzed giving it full marks in a new survey.

Two-thirds of those who have ridden the ride rated it 10 out of 10 in a study by theme park bosses.

It came out with an average score of 9.1 - higher than Alton Towers' iconic other rides The Smiler, which scored 8.9, Oblivion (8.8) and Nemesis (8.5).

The dramatic images show the track of the new wooden rollercoaster

Guests have shared their love for the new ride on social media more than 8,000 times using the hashtag #WickerManRide - it has also appeared in newspapers, magazines and websites 163 times.

The wooden 'coaster, which opened at the park at the beginning of the season, is the first of its kind in the UK for 21 years and has, so far, been ridden by an astonishing 100,000 guests.

The £16 million project is the first wooden rollercoaster to be built at the tourist attraction, and also the first to "fuse wood and fire".

According to the legend, the wicker effigy has been built by "the Beornen", a fictional group living in the woods nearby who believe that by riding through the burning Wicker Man they can achieve eternal happiness.

Guests are shown into a spooky pre-show, before experiencing the 44mph coaster, which features three drops – including a double-dip – two tunnels, and three passes through the Wicker Man centrepiece as it bursts into flames.

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Bradley Wynne, creative lead for Merlin Magic Making, came up with the terrifying concept after previously working on Nemesis Sub Terra, Galactica and CBeebies Land at the resort.

To celebrate its success, Alton Towers has released amazing footage of the ride being built. Filmed more than 18 months, the footage shows the build from "breaking ground" in November 2016 to the public opening one month ago.