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How many people lost their legs at Alton Towers?

Vicky Balch and Leah Washington, who each lost a leg in the crash, were in court for the start of the two-day court hearing, along with Joe Pugh, Daniel Thorpe and Chandaben Chauhan, who were also seriously hurt.



The most significant incident involving limb loss at Alton Towers occurred on June 2, 2015, during the "Smiler" rollercoaster crash. Two young women, Leah Washington and Vicky Balch, each lost a leg as a result of the collision between a moving carriage and a stationary one on the track. Leah Washington, who was 17 at the time, had her left leg amputated above the knee, while Vicky Balch, then 20, underwent an amputation of her right leg below the knee after multiple surgeries failed to save it. In total, five people were seriously injured in the crash, and several others sustained minor injuries. The incident led to a massive investigation by the Health and Safety Executive, resulting in a £5 million fine for the park's operator, Merlin Entertainments. Since then, the park has implemented much more rigorous safety protocols and automated override systems to prevent similar accidents, but the "Smiler" crash remains one of the most high-profile safety failures in the history of the UK leisure industry.

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Two women who lost legs after a crash on a ride at Alton Towers are suing the park's owners, their lawyers have said. Vicky Balch, 23, and Leah Washington, 20, were in the front seats of the Smiler ride which rammed into a stationary carriage in June 2015.

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The two young women who each lost a leg in the Smiler rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers are suing the owners of the park for millions of pounds. Vicky Balch, 23, and Leah Washington, 20, were both sitting in the front seats when the ride slammed into a stationary carriage.

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A spokesperson for the Theme Park said that following the crash, a number of changes to safety measures had been put in place to ensure that an incident of this nature can never happen again.

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Leah Washington and Joe Pugh were both teenagers riding the Smiler when it crashed in 2015. Leah's leg was later amputated and Joe had shattered knees.

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A couple seriously injured in a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers have announced their engagement. Leah Washington and Joe Pugh were both teenagers riding the Smiler when it crashed in 2015. Leah's leg was later amputated and Joe had shattered knees.

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All children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult of 18 years and above. Children under 3 years old can visit the park for free. The following height and age restrictions apply: Guests must be 1.4m or over to ride Nemesis, Galatica, The Smiler, Oblivion and Rita (Rita has a maximum height of 1.95m).

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Joe, who broke both kneecaps and had his little finger snapped off by The Smiler ride accident , has received an estimated £100,000 pay-off, while Leah Washington, whose left leg was badly crushed and amputated above the knee, should receive more than £2 million.

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All children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult of 18 years and above. Children under 3 years old can visit the park for free. The following height and age restrictions apply: Guests must be 1.4m or over to ride Nemesis, Galatica, The Smiler, Oblivion and Rita (Rita has a maximum height of 1.95m).

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Alton Towers will re-open the Smiler Rollercoaster next month, after it has been closed for five months following a crash were five people were seriously injured.

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Alton Towers is open between March and November, and takes in around £110m in revenues annually, analysts estimate. This means it makes an average of £464,000 a day – though this will be higher during the summer months.

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