A theme park in England has offered the "people of Wales" a free picture after riding on their fastest rollercoaster in order to fulfil their "need for speed". Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey issued the offer in the wake of Wales introducing default 20mph limits on the country's roads.

The new Mandrill Mayhem ride zips along its tracks at more than double that limit, so the theme park believes people in Wales might wish to visit due to their "craving for awesome velocity". The theme park issued the invitation on social media, with a photograph attacked showing a bilingual sign that reads 'Welcome Welsh residents' outside the new ride.

WalesOnline reports that the letter reads: “Here at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, we understand that many of your roads now have a default 20mph speed limit. We hear that this has left many residents of Wales with an unfulfilled need for speed.

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"We are delighted to be able to satisfy your craving for awesome velocity. Our new Mandrill Mayhem rollercoaster provides a legal, wild way to travel more than twice as fast as your 20mph restricted roads.

"It goes at 42mph in fact, forwards, backwards AND upside down. The best bit? It’s only two hours and 30 minutes away from the Wales/England border - even when travelling at Welsh speeds.

"During this half term, we’ll welcome all residents of Wales with a free picture speeding on Mandrill Mayhem when you book a visit. No speed cameras here.”

Chessington, famed for its zoo, is asking people travelling from Wales to bring “proof of Welshness” to get the perk. The park added: “With the new 20mph speed restrictions generating uproar, we hear the people of Wales and their unsatisfied need for speed.

"We’re delighted Mandrill Mayhem, which opened just over five months ago, can meet that need. We’re promising residents of Wales, who book to visit this half term and bring their driving licence as proof of Welshness, a free picture ‘speeding’ on the new rollercoaster. We hope they’ll have a Wales of a time.”

More than a month since the 20mph law on most residential roads in Wales came into effect, many motorists remain angered by the change. The evidence suggests that lowering the speed limit will have a considerable impact on road safety with up to 20,000 fewer casualties over the next decade.

But a new poll exclusive to WalesOnline showed in October that there remains huge opposition to the default limit - estimated at around 59%. Last month, before the change came into effect, 46% said they supported (and 34% opposed) the introduction of the new speed limit.