'It was like hitting a car at 90mph' - Couple speaks 10 years on from the Alton Towers 'Smiler' rollercoaster crash

Dozens of people were seriously injured when Alton Towers' 'Smiler' rollercoaster crashed 10 years ago.

The crash on June 2, 2015, made national headlines when 16 people were injured in the incident, including Chanda Chauhan and her daughter Vanisha Singh, from Wednesbury.

Merlin Attractions, which owns the Staffordshire site, were fined £5 million in 2016 after admitting health and safety breaches, with the incident being found to be down to 'human error'.

Among those injured were two people who were required to have leg amputations following the tragic incident, with the couple saying the crash was 'like hitting a car at 90mph'.

Now, 10 years on, a couple who were injured in the incident have opened up about their life following the crash, saying that while they can 'never move on', they still 'couldn't be happier'.

South Yorkshire couple, Leah Washington-Pugh and Joe Pugh, 17 and 18 at the time of the crash, were on a date when the rollercoaster crashed. 

Talking to law group Stewarts, who handled their case, they talked about the anniversary of the incident and the tragic events on the day.  

'We've not moved on'

Leah's legs were crushed, forcing the amputation of her left leg above the knee, whilst both of Joe's kneecaps were shattered and some of his fingers were severed.

Now married, the pair spoke through legal representatives, Stewarts Law, saying that they had 'come a long way'.

Remembering the day, Leah and Joe said: "We've not moved on. I don't think we will ever move on. It's always going to be a part of our lives.

"I don't think the chapter will ever close, It's just a different part of our lives, that's all."

'We went straight for the Smiler'

While on the date, the couple made a beeline for the Smiler ride as soon as they entered the park. 

They said: "It was the first ride we were lining up for. There were lots of technical difficulties, but I never thought anything of it. I was like just like 'Oh it's normal, we'll just wait and see what happens'".

After setting off, their carriage had 'gone around a corner', before crashing into an empty cart.

They said: "Everything was fine, and then we came around the corner and there was an empty cart that had been sent around and we just crashed into it. 

"I think if I remember rightly if you compare it to a car accident it was the equivalent of driving into a car at 90 miles an hour, it was pretty severe."

The couple were one of many people stranded on the ride following the crash, with the group being stuck for around four hours. 

Leah credited the emergency service workers with saving her life. She said: "The air ambulance was flying in blood for me because I was just losing that much. 

"If it wasn't for the air ambulance and other services on the day, I know I wouldn't be here today."

'Learn to live again'

Leah was in hospital for eight weeks following her rescue, after being discharged, she said that not only did they have to 'learn to walk again' but also to 'live again'.

The couple said: "It was really difficult at the start. We had to kind of learn not only how to walk again, but also to live again. 

"We were both in very dark places, we had a lot going on around us. We were thrown into a world that we never expected to be in.

"Looking back now, staying together and sticking together, we were such good support for each other. Our injuries were there, but we still had that relationship and that friendship.

"Fast forward ten years, and we are both happy. We're now married, we're almost a year into our marriage, we've got a beautiful home together and, we couldn't be happier."

Merlin Attractions Operations LTD admitted breaches of the Health and Safety Act in what the bosses called 'the most serious incident' in Alton Towers' history. 

Leah and Joe are now using the 10-year anniversary to host a ball to support charities close to them, including the Staffordshire Air Ambulance, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Limbo charities.

Anna Wiseman, a partner and specialist catastrophic personal injury solicitor at Stewarts, said: "Ten years on, I’m incredibly proud of everything Leah and Joe have accomplished. They were both so young at the time of the accident, facing not only life-changing injuries but also intense media attention. 

"As someone who regularly works with amputee clients, I am always impressed by remarkable human resilience, but Joe and Leah’s case will always stand out—because of the highly unusual circumstances and all the additional pressures they had to endure because it played out in the public eye. 

"Supporting their family and friends was equally important, as a strong support network is vital, especially for young amputees. Leah and Joe embody what we strive for: that even in the face of profound adversity, recovery, growth, and hope are possible.”