Alton Towers crash victim Leah Washington posts 'inspiring' holiday photos after losing leg

Smiler crash victim: Leah Washington, 19, lost her leg when the theme park's rollercoaster crashed in 2015
@leahwashy

An Alton Towers crash victim has shared a defiant bikini photo and says she is now body confident after losing her leg in the horrific accident.

Leah Washington, 19, was on holiday with her boyfriend Joe Pugh when the “inspirational” image was taken and uploaded to Instagram.

Mr Pugh was also on the Smiler rollercoaster when it crashed into an empty carriage on the track in the horror incident in June 2015.

The teenager and her boyfriend were in the front of the carriage when it collided with another, leading to a rescue operation that would take several hours.

After losing her leg in the devastating crash, she told how she used to dread showing off her body in swimwear.

But alongside pictures of herself this week, she wrote that she is “starting to feel confident in my own skin.”

She said: “My body and life had changed forever and it is something that I'm still getting used to.

“Going on holiday and wearing a bikini in front of so many other people was one of my biggest fears but now I'm starting to feel confident in my own skin (and bikini lol) and realise that every individual looks great in their own way.”

Miss Washington added: “Don't worry about what other people think, it's irrelevant.”

After sharing the images, followers praised her and said she is “an inspiration.”

One user said: "You look fantastic and should be very proud of yourself." Another wrote: "You're so inspiring and an absolute beauty."

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