A Bradford couple have won a four-year fight for compensation after their daughter was left brain damaged when she swallowed a balloon.

But Nadeem and Shahnaz Butt said today that the settlement, which is understood to run into six figures, was no victory and added: "No amount of money will give our daughter back the beautiful future she had ahead of her."

Sonia Butt was six when she swallowed a balloon in November 1996, starving her brain of oxygen for 20 minutes.

The horrific incident left Sonia, now 10, with severe spastic quadriplegia - blind, unable to speak and with no control of her body and in need of constant care by her parents.

Since then, Mr and Mrs Butt, of Great Horton, Bradford, have fought to bring the balloon's importers, ITI(UK) to Court.

The couple, both 31, said it failed to provide adequate warning of the dangers on the packaging. The company has since changed the labelling and raised its recommended age for use from six to eight-years-old.

Days before the case was set to go before a High Court, the couple accepted a six-figure out-of-court settlement on the advice of their legal team.

Mr Butt said: "Sonia needs a great deal of care and this money will not go far at all.

"Money has always been irrelevant. We just want to warn other parents of the dangers and hopefully we have done this.

"We couldn't bear other couples to go through the pain we have."

Balloon accidents caused 40 deaths in 1997 and see 1,300 people hospitalised every year, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

Sonia was playing with her younger brother Hassan, now eight, when the accident occurred. The youngster came into the kitchen saying: "Mummy, my sister is dying".

Although Mr Butt tried frantically to revive Sonia, his kiss of life simply inflated the balloon, having no effect on her.

Mrs Butt said: "Sonia had been full of life and very bright at school. She was loving, very friendly and a joy to have around."

Now the only response Sonia can make to her parents is an occasional smile.

"We don't know if she understands us or if we are even there," said Mrs Butt.

"But when we see her smile we feel sure of that contact. It is the only time we feel comfort that she is happy in some way."

Mr Butt said: "The accident totally devastated us and tore our world apart. It felt like there was nothing worth living for."

Both were prescribed anti-depressants after the incident.

"People say that time is a healer but this wound will never heal," said Mrs Butt.

"We see and feel Sonia's pain every day."

The couple have since had another girl Ayesha, four, who they describe as a "carbon copy" of Sonia.

"It is just like looking at Sonia at that age," said Mr Butt.

"We see older girls playing in the street and think how it could have been for Sonia. She had a beautiful life ahead of her and she was robbed of it."

Mrs Butt urged other parents to take extreme care of letting their children have balloons, calling them "timebombs in gift wrapping".

She said children should be at least ten before being allowed them and urged shopkeepers to act responsibly.

"We saw two children with balloons in the street the other day and our hearts sank."

"It only takes a second for an accident to happen and parents should now it can happen to them."