Cable car opens again in Teide National Park after 238 tourists became trapped overnight

The safety brake became blocked whilst a group of holidaymakers were halfway up to the refuge at the top of the Montaña Blanca mountain – one of the Tenerife volcanic park's most popular attractions – and led to another cable car full of visitors being jammed heading back the other way.

Meanwhile, dozens more were stuck at the top, and a total of 238 tourists had to spend the night in the ancient chapel.

None were hurt, and the mild weather conditions meant nobody had to be treated for exposure, but for safety reasons the cable car was shut down pending a full inspection and repair.

It was finally open again at the weekend, and tourists have now been up to the refuge and back without incident.

Tenerife's Teide National Park is one of the Canary Islands' top tourist hotspots – here, visitors can walk right into the crater of a dormant volcano and gain panoramic views across an eerie, lunar landscape.

Package holidays to the island nearly always offer an optional excursion to the Teide for an additional fee, and tour company reps strongly recommend to any visitors only able to book one day off-resort that this should be at the top of their list.

Teide Park and cable car photograph taken by Tenerife island council, or Cabildo