Couple seriously injured in horror alton towers crash issue major life update

THOUGH LEAH WASHINGTON-PUGH AND JOE PUGH WILL 'NEVER MOVE ON' FROM THE INCIDENT, THEY COULDN'T BE HAPPIER IN THEIR LIVES NOW 14:37, 02 Jun 2025 A couple who were seriously

injured in a horror roller coaster crash likened to 'hitting a car at 90mph' have spoken out ten years on from the ordeal. Leah Washington-Pugh and Joe Pugh, then 17 and 18, were

on a date at Alton Towers in Staffordshire when the Smiler crash, a collision that garnered world-wide attention, took place. Leah's legs were crushed while Joe's kneecaps were

shattered and some of his fingers severed as their carriage rammed into another at the theme park. READ MORE: 'I WAS AN ARMY SNIPER IN AFGHANISTAN - MORE OF MY COMRADES TOOK THEIR OWN

LIVES THAN WERE KILLED' The crash, exactly ten years ago today, June 2, saw operator Merlin fined £5million, with compensation paid to the 16 victims. Now, speaking as part of a release

by their legal representatives, Joe said: “We’re both really happy, we’re now married. Article continues below "We’re almost a year into our marriage and we have a beautiful home

together. We couldn’t be happier.” Leah said: “Looking back now, me and Joe sticking together, we were such a good support for each other. "Yes, our injuries were there and everything

else around us was going off, but we still had that relationship and friendship and that got us through everything.” But despite being in a much better place now, the crash is a day they can

"never move on from." On their date, they had gone straight to the Smiler rollercoaster and queued to ride it. Despite technical difficulties causing delay, they were eventually

able to board. While they were on the ride, an empty carriage came to a stop on the track in front of them, their carriage smashing into it at speed. Leah’s legs were crushed, while Joe

sustained injuries including two shattered kneecaps and damage to his hands. "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," said Joe. "And then I looked down at my legs and realised that something wasn't right," Leah added. "I looked at Joe

and Joe's little finger was hanging off." Leah's injuries involved cruciate ligament damage to the right knee, along with a fractured hand. She went on to have her left leg

amputated above the knee. It took several hours for them to be rescued from the ride in a complex operation involving the Air Ambulance flying in blood for Leah. She praised the Air

Ambulance for saving her life that day. She spent five days in intensive care and was in hospital for eight weeks in total, undergoing a structured routine of physio and appointments. Leah

says: “I’d been in the bubble of the hospital, then coming home, with my body being completely different to the last time I was there. It meant lots of navigating life in a normal

surrounding, not a hospital surrounding. It was quite difficult at the start.” Joe adds: “We had to learn not only how to walk again, but how to build a relationship with each other again.”

'LIFE IS SO PRECIOUS' Although her and Joe’s lives changed that day, it strengthened their bond and gave them experiences they wouldn’t have had otherwise, Leah said. She

continued: “You’ve always got to find the positive in the negative and just got to grab life, because it’s so precious, and make the most of it." Stewarts Partner Anna Wiseman acted for

Leah and Joe in their legal case. She said: “Leah was young when I first met her, she was only 17. For her to go through that process and be injured in the way that she was, was quite

terrifying for her. “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. Article continues below "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.” Joe and Leah are using this anniversary to host a ball - sponsored by Stewarts - to support charities close to them, fundraising to help

them help others in a similar position.