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. share price plunge when it emerged the Smiler had been involved in a collision. Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Smiler crash, a rollercoaster collision which rocked the UK back in 2015. Collision course: Swinging into the picture moments before impact on the left, the Smiler packed with people circled in blue on the right plummets towards the empty carriage circled in red, Carnage: The two trucks collide like a 90mph car crash and they became meshed together, crushing the people in the front row - two of whom later had legs amputated, Blunder: This footage seconds before the crash shows how the ride was stopped but then set off again when an engineer ignored a warning on the ride's computer system, Scale model: The Health and Safety Executive were able to plot the speed and power of the impact in Britain's worst rollercoaster crash for years. She said she is now having to opt for a "less demanding" career. The beautician wore a gorgeous floor-length plunge white gown that was altered so she could comfortably walk down the aisle whilst using her prosthetic leg. A court hearing in April this year was told Merlin had conducted an internal investigation following the incident, which established that a worker manually 'overrode' the ride's governing computer system. One person, 23-year-old Orlando Rodriguez, died at the scene of the crash on April 2, 2022. She has described the "stressful and depressing" journey to get compensation but is now focusing on planning her wedding. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk, Alton Towers crash victims sue 'for 2m', Cash machine fraudsters target Staffordshire banks, Cold weather warning for possible snow showers, Man jailed following fatal hit and run which killed 'devoted mother' in Crewe, Council working on new tree planting policy amid claims existing rules preventing highways planting, Major bus operator announces it will 'step in and cover' Arriva services, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, China looks at reforms to deepen Xi's control, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. He added that there were 'various states of knowledge' of the fault alarm systems on the ride. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. I kept saying to Dino, Its over, I cant believe its all over.. Merlin Entertainments said the ride. I was told the average life expectancy of someone with an amputation. CCTV shows horrific moment Alton Towers ride carriages smash into each other 'like 90mph car crash', Alton Towers Smiler crash victims pay tribute to Drayton Manor schoolgirl, Watch: Delighted passengers queue to go on The Smiler as it reopens, BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt halts show to warn Lenny Henry 'you shouldn't say that', Charlie was hosting BBC Breakfast on Thursday - but warned Lenny: "You really shouldn't say that. Beautician Vicky Balch was one of 16 people injured when an empty carriage was stranded on the track of ride Smiler back in June 2015. Dino also spoke to Mirror Online about their relationship and his role in keeping Vicky's spirits up. A Merlin spokesman said: "From the outset we have admitted liability and have engaged fully at all times to achieve settlement for all the claimants as quickly as possible. Its all to go on treatment. Mum in hysterics after son's Christening banner is taken 'too literally', "All of my family and friends were just in stitches", Jet2 announces new Bristol Airport destination to Greece ahead of 'busiest summer yet', It's expecting its "biggest ever summer operation" in Bristol, Police appeal for help in finding missing Bristol teen. The court also heard engineers should have seen the empty carriage which was visible on CCTV cameras covering the track. Alton Towers Smiler crash victims Vicky Balch and Leah Washington sue theme park owners for millions of pounds. Stock in the FTSE-100 firm dropped 3.46% to 444.3p a share after opening this morning at 462.6p a share. The Staffordshire theme park owner has already admitted breaching the Health and Safety Act, and was fined 5m in September 2016. There were found to be no technical or mechanical problems with the ride itself.. Four ambulances and four air ambulances attended the scene among 40 emergency vehicles in total after receiving a 999 call at 2.09pm. Leah Washington and Joe Pugh were both teenagers riding the Smiler when it crashed in 2015. Manufactured by Gerstlauer, it opened in 2013 as the world's first Gerstlauer Infinity Coaster. What science tells us about the afterlife. Leah showed off her engagement ring in a photo from Venice on her Instagram page. Ive got my wedding dress. Its nothing like that. A law firm representing eight of those injured when two carriages of the Smiler ride crashed. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Leah was on a date with boyfriend Joe Pugh, 18, when the accident happened, The teen's left leg was so badly crushed doctors amputated it below the knee, Those on the ride suffered injuries all over their bodies - here a badly cut finger is stitched up, A bloodied finger is pictured here as victims suffered horrific injuries in the crash, Leah's leg was left badly crushed and doctors were forced to amputate below the knee, Leah was speaking to Channel 5's documentary Where Theres Blame, Theres a Claim, Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd, which owns Alton Towers, reopened the Smiler rollercoaster after several months despite the horrific incident, Brave Leah said: 'I didnt think it would be as hard as it is. Leah, 17 had just left school and had only been going out with Joe, 18, for four days when they had a day out at the Staffordshire theme park two years ago. Alton Towers, in Staffordshire, which is owned by Merlin Entertainments, was fined 5million over the Smiler crash in 2015. The Smiler is a steel roller coaster located at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, United Kingdom. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The accident in June 2015 was put down to human error and Alton Towers owner Merlin Attractions was fined 5million for health and safety breaches. Mr Antrobus turned to confer with Mr Varney before replying: 'No. Mr Thorogood said some victims described the angle as 45 degrees, but accepted this was disputed. 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Where There's Blame There's A Claim features Leah Washington and Joe Pugh, Don't miss any TV and showbiz news - sign up to free alerts. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? He added that he had read all the victim impact statements. Both have been undergoing rehabilitation for their injuries. Alton Towers Smiler Victims Pictured Together For The First Time Since Crash; Modern World Driving Children to Despair. Thirteen-year-old April was last seen in Whitchurch at about 5.00 pm yesterday (March 3). The website reads: Not for the faint-hearted, this new ride at Alton Towers features a series of twisted psychological effects including optical illusions, blinding lights and near misses designed to mess with your mind.. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? A woman who lost her leg in a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers has received a multi-million pound payout four years on. ITV Dancing On Ice judge Christopher announced Jayne is out of surgery - and it was a success. 2023 BBC. Then we were queueing up for another rollercoaster and an air ambulance flew over and news started filtering through and all the Alton Towers staff were evacuating the area.. Alton Towers operator Merlin was fined 5m after admitting breaching the Health and Safety Act. In a statement, the University of Nottingham Students' Union, said: "The costume was in no way intended to reference the tragedy that occurred on the Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers. Miss Balch, of Leyland, Lancashire, and Miss Washington, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, needed partial leg amputations after the crash. Leah Washington and Joe Pugh were both teenagers riding the Smiler when it crashed in. Leah and Vicky Balch, of Leyland, Lancashire, who also lost a leg as a result of the crash, later announced they were suing Merlin for negligence and or breach of statutory duty. However due to the complex nature of Vickys case, it was not possible to reach a settlement until now. They could each receive "well in excess of 2m" in compensation if the High Court claim is successful. The men and women, some of whom could have been killed, faced the theme park's bosses who were told they could face a 10million fine - plus compensation to its victims - for the disaster on June 2, 2015. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. However, he added that there was 'absolutely no evidence of a task analysis-based approach for engineering work, in particular in dealing with ride faults'. Miss Balch has said she does not see the point in being angry about what happened. Something went wrong, please try again later. Im slowly getting that back, but life is never going to be the same as it used to be.. Read about our approach to external linking. I still dont really understand.". They sent a test car down behind us anyway, which I thought was a bit strange, but I guess thats just procedure for them to do that, he said. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Other rides at Alton Towers were shut down. The pair both feature in a new Channel 5 series, Where Theres Blame Theres A Claim, which examines compensation cases. "From the outset we have engaged fully at all times to resolve all the claims as quickly as possible. But Leah added: "Its not going to bring back my leg, its not going to bring back the life I had before. 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The women are suing Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd for negligence and or breach of statutory duty. Victoria Balch is learning to walk again, using a prosthetic A woman who required a leg amputation following a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers theme park has described the operation as a. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. I didnt think it would be as hard as it is. Four of those rescued had significant lower-limb injuries that were not life threatening and were treated at the scene by trauma doctors, after what was described as the most serious accident at Alton Towers since the popular theme park opened in 1980. Two women who lost legs after a crash on a ride at Alton Towers are suing the park's owners, their lawyers have said. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Two women who lost legs after a crash on a ride at Alton Towers are suing the park's owners, their lawyers have said. What science tells us about the afterlife. Tom Whelton, who was on the Smiler hours before the crash, said his carriage got stuck on the rollercoasters first hill. By The grainy CCTV clip shows the ride smashing into an empty carriage with the same forceas a 90mph car crash. 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"The claimants' lawyer has confirmed to us that this is a purely procedural filing to preserve their clients' rights in relation to the standard three-year limitation period, and that certain claims are not yet ready for settlement due to their complex nature.". We are confident that lessons have been learned and that appropriate action has been taken to address all the issues raised by our investigation and we believe our core conclusions will be in line with the HSE findings., Paul Paxton, a partner at the law firm Stewarts Law, which is acting for Pugh, Washington and Balch, said it was too early to comment until the conclusion of the HSE investigation. The footage published for the first time today shows the Smiler stop at the top of a loop before bungling Alton Towers engineers overrode a system warning and sent it headlong into another truck on June 2 last year. Merlin said it was "on standby to conclude settlement discussions on the outstanding claims as soon as they are ready". Do you know this baby? He said: I just wanted to be there for her, taking her mind off things. The University of Nottingham said it had "liaised closely" with the students' union since it became aware of the conduct of those attending the event. However, he added that although there had been 'a number of human errors', the 'fault here is with the employers', and not individuals. 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Leah, whose case should be resolved next year, will need money for the rest of her life. 'A number of errors were made. He said the wounds suffered, both physical and psychological, had 'changed the lives of the some of those injured, in the most dramatic way'. But we support each other. "I still dont think Ive fully come to terms with everything that's happened. This is the horrifying momentThe Smiler crashedat Alton Towers leaving 16 injured including two young women who later had legs amputated in the worst British rollercoaster crash for years. What science tells us about the afterlife. The theme park's operator Merlin has been warned to expect a 'very large fine' for health and safety breaches. Leah Washington and Joe Pugh were both teenagers riding the Smiler when it crashed in. Incredibly it emerged that today staff running ride at Alton Towers had not read the ride's operating manual and then took 17 minutes to dial 999. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Me, Dinos mum and my best friends ended up crying. The University of Nottingham students made the outfits for a bar crawl and posed in them for a student news site. "Whilst money cannot make up for what they have endured over the past three years, financial security can at least help the victims to lead a full and active life. Alton Towers crash victim has collapsed lung and fractured leg Daniel Thorpe, 27, was named on social media by his father as having been in front row of Smiler ride when it collided with test. Credit: ITV News Central. Alton Towers' owner, Merlin Entertainments, saw its share price plunge when it emerged the Smiler had been involved in a collision. Mr Thorogood, summing up that point, said 'engineers revealed a range of understandings to important aspects, which with a single system (of working) there would not be'. Alton Towers Smiler crash victims pay tribute to Drayton Manor schoolgirl; Joe tells the documentary: "I could just see blood, bone . Vicky was one of 16 injured when the Smiler ride hit an empty carriage on the tracks in June 2015. No one from Alton Towers has resigned as a result of The Smiler disaster, the court heard. Brave Leah Washington, 19, was among 16 hurt when their carriage ploughed into another broken down on the 18million Smiler ride. Read about our approach to external linking. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Joe Pugh, 18, a student at Huddersfield University, and his girlfriend Leah Washington were among the victims. Judge says disaster aggravated by difficulties emergency services had getting to victims left in mangled ride for almost four hours, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Dozens stuck in car park as staff refuses to open gate for woman, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Read about our approach to external linking. "Those individuals who have not yet settled their claims have received significant interim payments. With 14 inversions, The Smiler holds the world record for most inversions on a roller coaster. Artificial limbs can cost 80,000 each and need replacing every few years. Leah Washington (left) and Vicky Balch were both badly injured on the ride. People ask if Im happy with it and its difficult to answer. The five seriously injured were Vicky Balch and Daniel Thorpe, from Buxton in Derbyshire, Leah Washington and Joe Pugh, from Barnsley, and Chandaben Chauhan, from Wednesbury, West Midlands. The payout is earmarked for a lifetime of physio, treatment and prosthetics. Richardson said the first responders appeared to be more concerned with clearing people away from the ride than reaching the injured passengers. Each of the top of the range legs with a microprocessor knee joint can cost up to 80,000 and last about eight years. Joe Pugh, 18, also from Barnsley and Daniel Thorpe, 28, from Buxton, Derbyshire, also suffered serious leg injuries, along with 49-year-old Chandaben Chauhan. Guardian's Allowance weekly payments are also rising in April. A couple seriously injured in a rollercoaster crash at Alton Towers have announced their engagement. Russia announces new ceasefire and 'humanitarian corridors' for fleeing civilians in FIVE cities from Wednesday morning - but will Putin's troops stop firing? Ian Crabbe, Alton Towers divisional director, said in a statement: May I first say that my colleagues and I are devastated by what has happened here today, and our only priority at this time is to work with the emergency services to get the 16 people affected off the ride safely, and most importantly those who are injured are being cared for. Judge Michael Chambers QC said the crash on the 18m attraction was a "catastrophic failure and a "needless and avoidable accident in which those who were injured were lucky not to be killed.". ALTON Towers Smiler crash victim Vicky Balch has married her fianc in an "emotional" wedding ceremony six years after losing her leg. Something went wrong, please try again later. I have to be careful with the money, I have to plan how much I need to keep away for later life and care.. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Prosecutors revealed the weather should have shut down the ride and engineers were ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath. Witnesses posted pictures of the aftermath of the collision as people were evacuated from the rollercoaster. Chandaben Chauhan (right) suffered internal injuries after being on a girls day out with her two daughters, one of whom accompanied her to court today, Entourage: The large legal team representing Alton Towers' owners Merlin file into Stafford Crown Court this morning. Exact date yellow weather warning for snow and ice forecast to hit UK - will you be affected? "The university is aware of the SU's initial investigations regarding this matter and its media statement issued today," it said. Sixteen people had to be rescued after it broke down during a press launch in its opening month. She sometimes says thanks when I dont even notice Ive done anything extra. ', Fleet of buses enters Mariupol to evacuate citizens, Aftermath: These are the damaged Smiler carriages, which show how the ride buckled with the force of the collision, Shocking past: The major crash on the Smiler in June 2015 (pictured) in which five people were seriously injured, Rescue: The victims were stuck for up to four hours, some were left unconscious by the crash and lost significant amounts of blood. The Smiler rollercoaster has been closed since June last year after a crash injured 16 people. There has been a series of incidents on the ride since it opened in May 2013. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? I need to go to the same physio my entire life, the same appointments my entire life. When I got the payout, it made me realise that I had to live with this disability for ever. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. When the Smiler reopens, it will include new safety measures including additional CCTV cameras and an enhanced safety process requiring a senior member of staff to authorise the manual overrides that caused the Smiler crash. Brave Leah Washington, 19, was Air ambulances landing now, people still stuck.. Daniel Thorpe, 27, from Buxton in Derbyshire, was treated for a collapsed lung and lower leg injuries. It concluded that the defendant, Merlin, fell 'far short' when it came to governing the inevitable need for engineers from the park's technical service's department to fix faults on the ride. Smiler crash victim Joe Pugh and girlfriend Leah Washington, who had her leg amputated, tweeted their "disgust". Others hurt included Vicky Balch, 20, from Lancashire, who had six rounds of surgery in a bid to save her leg before needing an amputation. The crash on the Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers that seriously injured five people was caused by human error, the theme park's owner has said.
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