A YOUNG man who was aged 11 when struck down by a car on his way to school has won compensation at London's High Court.

Gavin Honnor, now 22, of Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear, suffered such severe brain damage in the September 1994 accident that he has no recollection of the collision and is legally classified as "a patient", incapable of managing his own affairs.

But he and his mother, Elizabeth, can now look forward to a large compensation payout to aid with his care after judge, Mr Justice Silber, ruled the motorist who knocked him down in North Road, Hetton-le-Hole, was 80 per cent to blame for the tragedy.

Although the amount of Gavin's compensation has yet to be assessed, millions of pounds have been awarded in cases of similarly severe injuries.

Gavin was on his way to Hetton Comprehensive School when hit by a Ford Fiesta, driven by Anthony David Lewis, now 50, of Seaburn Dene, Sunderland.

Gavin is so badly injured he was unable to give evidence in the case, but his father testified he had warned him to cross North Road at a point where a "lollipop lady" was on duty. However, Mr Justice Silber observed: "Sadly, Gavin did not follow that advice on the day of the accident."

The judge said all the eye- witnesses to the accident were of the opinion that Gavin had walked into the path of Mr Lewis's car without seeing it and that the motorist "could not have done anything to avoid the collision".

But the judge said he was impressed by the evidence of an accident reconstruction expert that Mr Lewis was going at 30mph when he hit the youngster, and did not appear to have seen Gavin before the impact.

Mr Lewis, who only had a provisional driving licence, should have had "a clear and unobstructed view" of Gavin.

Unless final terms are agreed in the meantime, the amount of Gavin's compensation will have to be assessed at another court hearing.