ALTON Towers operator Merlin faced significant fines yesterday after pleading guilty to health and safety breaches over a horrific crash that seriously injured five people.

Vicky Balch and Leah Washington required leg amputations following the incident involving the popular Smiler roller coaster.

Three others, Daniel Thorpe, Joe Pugh and Chandaben Chauhan were also injured when the carriage they were in collided with another that had stopped on the track on June 2 last year.