A GIRL who suffered a stroke when she was born has won a £1m NHS compensation package at the High Court.

Bethany Jane Davison suffers from long-term neurological problems and mild cerebral palsy, affecting all four of her limbs, after sustaining brain injuries at North Tees General Hospital, Stockton, just before Christmas 1998.

Her father, Michael John Davison, of Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, sued the North Tees Hospital NHS Trust on behalf of 11-year-old Bethany, claiming clinical negligence.

The trust denied liability for her injuries yesterday, before Mrs Justice Swift at the High Court, in London, agreed to pay Bethany a damages package valued at about £1m to settle her claim.

The family will receive a £400,000 lump sum, to enable them to obtain a new home more suited to Bethany’s needs, plus index-linked and tax-free payments of about £11,000-a-year to help pay for her care for the rest of her life.

Margaret Bowron QC, for Bethany, told the court the family had decided to settle the claim because of the “very complex medical matters”

that lay at the heart of their bid to prove their case.

She said: “Bethany has had the benefit of being part of a very loving family.

“They are a delightful couple who have Bethany’s best interests very much at heart.

“They are some of the most remarkable parents I have come across, and I come across a lot of parents in this line of work.”

Sarah Vaughan-Jones QC, for the trust, also praised the dedication and devotion of the parents and sheer hard work they have put in to help Bethany make the best of herself.

Approving the settlement, the judge said: “I’m quite satisfied that this settlement is in Bethany’s best interests.

“I also recognise the devotion, care, and support which the parents and family have given to Bethany and no doubt will continue to give.

“I hope that this relatively modest amount of damages will make life easier for them all as she grows up and I wish Bethany and her parents all the very best for the future.”

No one from North Tees Hospital NHS Trust was able to comment last night.