Teenagers Joe Pugh and Leah Washington, who suffered severe leg injuries during the Alton Towers rollercoaster smash, have raised nearly £7,000 for the nurses who helped them recover.

The couple presented hospital staff with a cheque for £6,900 which they raised by holding a gala dinner.

The funds will go to three units at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Staffordshire which looked after them following the accident in June last year.

The hospital charity's said the money will go towards toys and artwork in the children's wards, and a high-tech dialysis machine.

Leah was treated on the children's intensive care ward, where she underwent two operations on her left leg, resulting in amputation.

After one week, she was moved to the general paediatric ward, where she had physiotherapy.

Deputy Sister Teresa Wilson, who looked after Leah, said the youngster was 'amazing'.

"We were all devastated when we saw Leah's condition, and it was harder at first because she didn't know what was going on," she said.

"She was amazing and coped so well."

Joe, spent 23 days in the trauma orthopaedic ward, while having surgery on his hands and knees.

He said: "The care we were given was second-to-none. The whole team became like an extended family."