HEALTH bosses have forked out £1.4 million in compensation after a child starved of oxygen at birth was left with cerebral palsy. Ten-year-old Richard Metcalf was awarded damages this week after complications set in at his birth at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. The family said the money will be used to buy Richard specialist communication equipment and pay for therapy to look after him when he's older.

The money was awarded by the high court in Manchester and marks the end of a lengthy six-year battle for justice by his parents, Paul and Collette of Garstang.

They took action against the Lancaster Health Authority, which was responsible for the case at the time, following the birth of their second son, Christopher. Collette, who stopped teaching to look after Richard, said: "It was after the birth of Christopher that I decided I wanted to know what happened at Richard's birth. It has been a long battle, but it's been worth it. We know the money will never really compensate what's happened but it means Richard will be financially independent."

Health bosses admitted liability back in 1993 and two years later the family received an interim payment of £250,000.

A spokesman from Morecambe Bay Health Authority said: "We inherited responsibility for this case from the former Lancaster Health Authority and are satisfied that the settlement will provide the level of care necessary in this case as unfortunate as it is.

"We would also like to stress that maternity services have made a number of advances in the interim years and it is now a consultant led service which reduces the risk and improves the quality of care."

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