An eight-year-old girl has been paid £1.6 million after being born severly brain-damaged at Colchester Maternity Hospital.

Eight-year-old Jessica Walton, of Kingsland Road, West Mersea, who was born at the Lexden Road hospital - which has since been demolished - on February 13, 1992, was yesterday awarded the agreed damages at London's High Court .

Without making any admission of liability, North Essex Health Authority agreed to settle the case for £1.6 million after negotiations outside court.

Jessica is "profundly disabled with both her mobility' and vision badly impaired. Through her mother and litigation friend Joanna, 36, she sued the hospital's managers alleging medical negligence.

Approving the settlement, Judge David Brunning said: "My view is that the settlement which is proposed is a thoroughly realistic and far one.

"I regard what has now been agreed as thoroughly in the interests of Jessica. It is a tragedy. Jessica, as is quite clear, is profoundly disabled.

"But with the devotion, love and care her parents give her, she is clearly having some substantial quality of life."

Jessica, "notwithstanding all her problems, is a happy little girl", her counsel, Paul Reece, told the court. Mr Reece said he had met Jessica's parents on a number of occasions.

"They are plainly devoted and caring, but they are also stoical and practical. They knuckle down and they cope."

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