A couple whose daughter was brain damaged at birth have been awarded more than a million pounds in compensation to help pay the cost of caring for her for the rest of her life.

Rhiannon Orchard, who’s now four years old, needs 24-hour attention and will never be able to walk and talk or even feed herself.  

Mr and Mrs Orchard, who live in Wales, were on holiday in Devon in 2003, four weeks before the baby was due to be born. Mrs Orchard began to experience pain and so went to Torbay Hospital. She says she was assured that everything was fine even though the baby’s heartbeat had dipped.

Mrs Orchard was taken for an emergency Caesarian section an hour and 45 minutes later but by then it was too late. Rhiannon had to be resuscitated for 18 minutes after birth and didn’t breath properly until 25 minutes after being delivered. She suffered brain damage and doctors say she will now remain in a vegetative state.

The South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has apologised to the family and admitted a breach of duty because Rhiannon should have been delivered earlier.

The Trust has made an interim payment to cover Rhiannon’s immediate needs. The final compensation figure has yet to be worked out but it will be more than £1m.

Mr and Mrs Orchard said they spent a long time after the birth agonising over whether they had somehow been at fault themselves for what happened. It was only when they consulted their solicitor that they realised they could make a negligence claim that could provide the compensation needed to give Rhiannon the care she will need for the rest of her life.