A £3 million negligence pay-out to a disabled seven-year-old twin girl, is the biggest damages award that Airedale NHS Trust has ever faced.

The award was made by the High Court this week to Hannah Haines, who was born in 1992, and can only move independently by wriggling on her back on the floor.

The court also heard that Hannah could not speak and would require constant care for the rest of her life.

Airedale NHS Trust accepted it had been negligent at the birth of Hannah, who was born 90 minutes after her sister Jennie, who is perfectly healthy.

Her parents, Beverley and Michael, both aged 35, of Keighley, have spent seven years battling for compensation.

They are both nurses and met at Airedale Hospital at Steeton. They have another daughter Kylie, who is 13.

Dr Paul Godwin, the Trust's medical director, said it was by far the biggest negligence pay-out it had ever made.

"It's a matter of infinite regret that this accident ever happened and indeed that it took as long as it did to reach a settlement."

He explained that at the time of Hannah's birth - by caesarean section - a locum registrar had been in charge.

"Some time during the birth Hannah suffered a lack of oxygen and that had not been adequately identified."

The trust was now using fewer locums in gynaecology and obstetrics.

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