A BRAVE mother who is fighting cancer has been praised by a judge for her loving care of her wheelchair-bound son.

Mr Justice Newman's comments to Leigh mum Lilian Leake came as her son, Damien, 25, was awarded a £450,000 out-of-court settlement against Salford Health Authority at the High Court in Manchester.

The award came 16 years after Damien went into hospital for a heart operation but came out paralysed.

"I hope the money goes some way to alleviate the difficulties Damien and his family will have to cope with," said Mr Justice Newman.

The judge ordered that Damien's mother should receive £42,500 from the settlement, for showing "the most devoted care imaginable".

Damien, of Fell Street, Leigh, sat in court in his wheelchair as his counsel, Caroline Swift QC, said the damages had been agreed after lengthy negotiations.

She said Damien was found to have a heart defect in July 1979, and went into the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital for surgery.

After the operation Damien had "a swinging temperature", which was put down to an infection. But his condition deteriorated and eventually an X-ray showed he had a ruptured aorta.

He had emergency surgery but suffered an infection to the spinal cord, which led to paralysis of his legs.

Miss Swift said Damien's claim could have been worth up to £900,000, but there was an issue on liability, and the hospital authority had offered £450,000.

Mrs Leake (pictured with Damien) told The Journal of her traumatic time as she cared for both Damien and her own mother, Ethel, who had senile dementia and died three years ago. The courageous mum has had her own private battle against breast cancer which was diagnosed a year ago. Last October she had an operation to remove a tumour and is still waiting for the results of a full body scan.

She said: "No amount of money can ever compensate for my son's injuries. We're glad of the outcome. I'm sure it will make life much easier for each of us in the long term.

"I've had my problems in the past which I'm sure were caused by stress. There were times I felt suicidal but you have to carry on.

"I look at it as being my duty to care for my sick son and to have cared for my mother. If I turned the clock back I don't think I could cope with the situation but you never know what life will throw up at you.

"After what we've gone through things can only go on the up and up now."

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