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Three students got trapped in the paternoster today

They got stuck at around 1pm


If you're a student at the University of Sheffield, taking a ride in the famous paternoster lift in the Arts Tower is a sacred rite of passage.

Whilst most people find it thrilling once they've overcome the fear of using such a bizarre device, there is always the same question lurking at the back of everyone's mind: what would happen if, God forbid, we got stuck in here?

Well, this knee-wobbling notion became a terrifying reality for several students this afternoon.

At around 1pm today, the paternoster came to a standstill and trapped a few students between the 1st, 3rd and 6th floors.

Luckily, an engineer was at hand to resolve the situation and the lift started up again within a few minutes, releasing the occupants safely.

It isn't always this easy, however.

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A member of staff at the Arts Tower told The Sheffield Tab that, when there isn't an engineer to hand, the team at the Tower have to work together to sort it out.

This can sometimes take more than just a couple of minutes and even with the hard work of the Arts Tower team, the engineer may still have to be called out.

They said: "When someone gets stuck, we check the cameras to find out which floor they're on and take ladders to get people out.

"Its just one of those things, happens sometimes."

Staff also make sure they shout up to anyone trapped in the lift to reassure them and keep everyone calm.

Hiccups like this occur when people forget to jump out the lift at the top and go over the 19th floor. There is a safety mechanism at the top of the lift, controlled by lasers, which brings the lift to a halt if it sense there is someone inside when they shouldn't be.

The lesson to learn here is don't be afraid, take the leap. Jumping out the paternoster can often feel like a leap into certain death but a little bit of courage can go a long way.

Have you ever been stuck in the paternoster? Share your experience with The Sheffield Tab by messaging us on Facebook.