Alton Towers Smiler crash couple tie the knot at beautiful boutique hotel

A couple caught up in the Alton Towers Smiler crash have tied the knot.

The happy day came almost nine years after the horror rollercoaster crash. Bride Leah Washington, now 26, was just 17 when the rollercoaster smashed into another carriage. Her leg was amputated. Vicky Balch, who was in the seat next to her at the front, lost her right leg.

Leah and groom Joe Pugh were on their first date at the theme park when they were caught up in the chaos.

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The couple announced their engagement last year. Leah, from Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, stunned in an elegant white dress while husband Joe opted for the James Bond look with a tuxedo and bow tie.

Leah and Joe enjoyed a drinks reception with family and friends at the Woodlands Hotel, in Leeds ,with a pianist playing live music. Some 16 people were trapped when the Smiler crashed into a stationary test carriage on June 2, 2015, three years after the ride's grand opening.

The horrifying incident resulted in Alton Towers owners Merlin Entertainment being prosecuted and fined £5m. Both Leah and Ms Balch also separately sued the company in 2018 for negligence.

Meera Chauhan and daughter Vanisha Singh, who were also injured in the 2015 crash, lodged claims as well, citing ongoing psychological effects. The theme park was branded a “shambles” by judge Michael Chambers in 2016, as he imposed the £5m fine on Merlin.

Recalling the accident at the time as the "longest thirty minutes of my life", Leah said: "My legs were caught between the safety bar and the ride in front, terrified and in excruciating pain, I was quickly losing sensation in my left leg."

Leah said she asked Joe for his phone to ring her mum and he replied he couldn't "because my finger is hanging off".

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