A woman who spent four months in a coma after she was given contaminated blood during a transfusion was awarded £1.6m damages yesterday.

Helen Smith, 27, was left brain damaged and had to learn to walk and talk again after the blunder six years ago at Newcastle General Hospital.

Miss Smith, from Washington, Wearside, was aiming for a career in nursing and was planning a back-packing trip to Australia when she started suffering bouts of sickness and headaches.

At 21, she was diagnosed as having water on the brain and was fitted with a tube to drain the excess fluid into her stomach. She had to undergo further surgery when the tube became blocked but, during the procedure, the tube pierced a vein in her chest and she needed a transfusion.

The blood she was given was contaminated with bacteria and poisoned her blood system and she fell into a deep coma.

Judge Michael Taylor, at the High Court sitting in Newcastle, approved the £1.6m compensation figure during a short settlement hearing yesterday.

The court heard Miss Smith had since made a "remarkable" recovery and was looking forward to living and independent life. Her solicitor Patrick Rafferty said after the hearing: "The family is delighted that this lengthy fight is over. They feel justice has been done."