Alton Towers Crash Victim Has Leg Amputated

A victim of the Alton Towers rollercoaster crash has had her left leg amputated above the knee, as the amusement park said it will provide compensation to the injured.

Seventeen-year-old Leah Washington, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, who was on The Smiler ride reportedly on her first date with Joe Pugh, also suffered a fractured left hand.

Mr Pugh, 18, has been treated for two broken knees and extensive hand injuries, the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust said.

Two other people were also seriously hurt, while another 12 were injured in the incident where their moving carriage and an empty stationary one collided .

Leah's father David Washington said medics "saved Leah's life" after the accident last Tuesday, when she was said to have been given a blood transfusion and morphine before she passed out.

He said in a statement: "Leah has suffered a life-changing injury and now has many months of rehabilitation ahead of her.

"We have done this to put people's minds at rest and we would also ask everyone to respect Leah's privacy as she undergoes this rehabilitation.

"We would like to thank all the emergency services at the scene and all the hospital staff who saved Leah's life."

The amusement park in Staffordshire has reopened for the first time since the crash but The Smiler ride is closed.

Alton Towers said it had delivered letters to all 16 people involved in the collision or their families and the park accepted full responsibility for the injured.

In a statement, it said: "Irrespective of the outcome of the current investigations into the causes of the accident, in these letters we have accepted full responsibility to those who had been injured in the accident and confirmed that we will ensure that compensation will be provided to them.

"We have recommended each of the injured guests or their families instruct a lawyer and submit a claim for compensation which we will ensure is dealt with swiftly and sensitively."

In response, the families of Leah Washington, Mr Pugh and Victoria Balch issued a statement saying they are pleased there has been a formal admission of liability from the insurer in respect of the damages claim.

Paul Paxton, head of Personal Injury at Stewarts Law, said: "I will be meeting with the solicitors acting for Merlin and its insurers this week to discuss the early release of money to assist with financial hardship and rehabilitation."

Earlier, Mr Pugh's father, Simon Pugh, thanked family, friends and hospital staff for their support, and asked for his son's privacy to be respected.

Ms Balch had surgery for "significant lower limb injuries" on Saturday, which was her 20th birthday.

Daniel Thorpe, a hotel assistant manager from Derbyshire, suffered a collapsed lung and a fractured leg in the accident, according to his father.

All four are being treated at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and the University Hospital Coventry.

A fifth victim, Chandaben Chauhan, 49, is in the Manor Hospital in Walsall after having surgery.

Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, which owns Alton Towers, said: "We are deeply saddened by the news about Leah and all our thoughts are with her and her family."

Despite the resort opening its gates, the area where The Smiler is located - known as the X-Sector - will be cordoned off until the Health and Safety Executive has concluded its investigation.

Another Alton Towers rollercoaster, The Spinball, is also closed until further notice while enhanced safety measures are put into place.

Other rides at Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures also remain out of service, but are expected to reopen soon.