A woman whose leg was amputated after a horrific accident at Alton Towers has given birth to a baby boy.
Vicky Balch feared she would never have a baby after losing her leg on the theme park's Smiler ride in 2015.
The 25-year-old has revealed that the birth was an 'emotional rollercoaster', with little Venanzio finally being delivered via an emergency C-section.
The family then spent three nights in neonatal before finally going home.
In a touching Instagram post announcing the birth, Vicky said: "Finally ready to introduce the newest member of our family Venanzio Joseph Manciocchi born 12/3/2021 after an emotional rollercoaster which ended in emergency C-Section and 3 nights in Neo-natal the family is finally home and ready to enjoy many memories."
She also shared a picture of her cradling little Venanzio in her hospital bed, alongside another image of her partner Dino carrying the tot out of the hospital.
When she first announced her pregnancy, Vicky said: "Dino and I are so happy to be expecting. It is just the best news after everything that has happened – I can’t quite believe we are going to have a baby.
“After the accident I lay in my hospital bed devastated that I had lost my leg and that life would never be the same again.
“I would not get to wear the lovely shoes I had at home or go out dancing with my university friends or feel like a woman again. I did say to my mum, ‘No one is going to want me like this.’
“Even having a relationship seemed impossible, let alone having a baby. At times I was in so much pain that just making it through the day was tough enough, let alone thinking of my future and a family.
“I was also worried because of the extent of my injuries that my fertility may be affected and a few months after the accident I saw a specialist to find out if it would still be possible for me to conceive. Thankfully, I was told that it was.”
The couple, from Preston in Lancashire, got engaged in 2018 and were due to wed last year, but they had to postpone their wedding in Italy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vicky says they had started trying for a baby after the wedding was postponed. They had expected it to take some time but just a few months after she came off the pill it happened.
“After my case with Alton Towers was settled last year (2019) and we moved into our own home it just felt like the right time,” she said.
“After quite a few years of stress, uncertainty and depression I finally felt settled and in the right place to be trying for a baby."
Vicky managed to buy her first home after recieving a multi-million payout from Alton Towers.
Describing her desire to have children, she said: “I always said I’d like three children and I know Dino wanted to have them early as he wants to be able to play football with the children while he’s young.
“I suspected I might be pregnant as I started to feel sick in the mornings. I had bought a couple of pregnancy tests – I wanted them to hand just in case – so I popped into the bathroom at home to do the test.
“I was amazed when it came up as positive – I burst into tears because it was an emotional moment.
“Dino was at work at his pizza oven company Valoriani so I drove to the office and took him to one side and showed him the test.
“He didn’t believe me at first and so we did another test there and then and he was over the moon.”
