A boy who suffered brain damage after falling off a ride at an end of season party at a rugby club has won £4.6 million in compensation.

The boy, who was eight years old at the time of the accident, was at the party with his family. The rugby club had organised entertainment, which included rides on a small grounds vehicle. The vehicle was clearly marked with warnings that it was not intended to carry passengers.

The boy took a ride and fell from the vehicle, suffering a severe brain injury. He later had to spend seven months in hospital, during part of which he was a patient at a specialist unit for brain injured children.

Initially, the rugby club denied liability for the accident but, after a protracted legal battle, admitted it was at fault. An interim payment was agreed so that the family could buy a house suitable for the boy and provide him with the necessary care and support.

Negotiations over the final amount of compensation continued until a few weeks before the case was due to be heard in court. Eventually, a lump sum payment of £4.6 million was agreed.