A boy who sustained serious brain damage after being given a drug overdose while in hospital as a baby is to receive �3.25m in damages.

The High Court in Birmingham heard the blunder at Sutton Coldfield's Good Hope Hospital left Wayne Heathcote, from Bromsgrove, with serious brain damage.

On Monday, Mr Justice Field approved the award against the Birmingham and Black Country Health Authority.

The court was told the error was made after Wayne, now 13, was given more than six times the normal dose of a drug by a junior doctor soon after his birth.

Life-long care

Wayne suffered serious brain damage and blindness and now requires full-time care.

The hospital admitted liability in 1999 and has now formally apologised by letter to Wayne and his father James Heathcote.

Mr Heathcote said that while he was pleased there was now enough money to ensure Wayne had proper care for the rest of his life, there were many times when he had thought about giving up the claim.

Paul Hackney, a solicitor at law firm Edwards Geldard, which acted for Wayne, said the settlement was a tribute to Mr Heathcote's "perseverance".

The Birmingham and Black Country Health Authority apologised for the treatment that caused Wayne's injury.

Chief executive Geoff Scaife said: "We are pleased that we have been able to agree an amicable financial settlement.

"We appreciate that money can never put right what went wrong but we hope that the settlement will help provide a secure future for Wayne's care and well-being."