A WOMAN who was scarred for life and ended up five stones heavier after a botched slimming operation was awarded £133,000 compensation yesterday.

When Stephanie O'Neill, 42, had the surgery she was an active 10st 4lbs and enjoyed a full social life.

But afterwards she gained five stones and lost her self-confidence.

Judge Christopher Walton, sitting at the High Court in Newcastle, accepted that her body had been grievously injured by the city's Royal Victoria Infirmary and granted her claim for compensation.

Mrs O'Neill, of Ashington, Northumberland, recounted how her life had gone into decline following the surgery which should have improved it.

Divorcee Mrs O'Neill, a former police station civilian worker, has suffered severe pain for five years since the procedure - known as abdomenoplasty - which uses liposuction as part of the process, left her stomach muscles agonisingly tight and caused scarring.

As a result of the operation, skin around the scar started to die and fall off and she required four more operations over 18 months, leaving her with not enough healthy skin to cover her stomach properly.

The court heard that the "badly performed" operation was carried out at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary in October 1996.

Health officials last night apologised to Miss O'Neill and said the trust ''accepted full responsibility for what happened''.

The chairman of Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Len Fenwick, said in a statement: ''The trust accepts that treatment provided in 1996 by the locum surgeon concerned fell below an acceptable standard and apologised for this at the trial.

''The doctor concerned left the trust several years ago and procedures in the relevant department were extensively reviewed following this unfortunate accident.''

Mr Fenwick said Mrs O'Neil received £35,000 for her pain and suffering while the other £95,000 was for past and future loss of earnings, care and other expenses.