David Broughton was not feeding properly and had a low sugar level in his blood.

Despite being rushed back into hospital he is now blind, cannot walk, talk or use his hands and suffers from frequent seizures.

The agreement comes just over two weeks after £3.28m - the highest compensation award in UK legal history - was awarded to an 11-year-old boy who was starved of oxygen at birth.

Financial settlement

At the High Court in Manchester on Friday, David's lawyers announced a £925,000 settlement of his case against Salford Health Authority.

David's mother Elsie sued the authority on his behalf.

David, of Bolton in Greater Manchester, is now 17. He was born at Hope Hospital's maternity unit in July 1981.

He and his mother were sent home 16 hours later, but a proper feeding pattern had not been established.

Over the next two days Mrs Broughton was seen by midwives but David was not feeding properly. He was then taken to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

But because of his low sugar level he suffered cerrebral palsy and brain damage, said his counsel David Allan QC.

Now he needs 24 hour a day care and has been looked after by his mother, Mr Allan said.

'A sad and anxious case'

Approving the award, Judge Rhys Davies ordered that £130,000 should be paid immediately to Mrs Broughton so she can buy a more suitable home for her son.

"It is a very sad and anxious case" said Justice Davies.

"Clearly this unfortunate boy is quite unable to form any of the normal facets of life.

"He is completely dependent on others for his daily needs and I wish to express my best wishes to the mother and to David in these sad circumstances"

Mary Newburn, head of policy research at the National Childbirth Trust, said the case demonstrated the importance of post-natal care.

Pregnancy is a special time

She said: "Mothers are reporting that there is too little help for them after their baby is born, particularly to help them establish feeding."

It can take days to establish a regular feeding pattern, but most mothers and babies leave hospital within hours of giving birth.

Midwives then pay home visits over the next 10 days to monitor progress.

Lack of midwives

The case has aroused new fears over the quality of maternity care and discharge times.

Last month St Michael's Hospital in Bristol had to ask mothers to leave six hours after giving birth because it was so badly hit by the national shortage of midwives.

Ms Newburn said the system was at breaking point and called for improved care.