THE parents of a woman who was badly brain damaged at birth have agreed a £4m settlement to pay for her care. Sarah Ashton suffered catastrophic brain injuries when she was starved of oxygen shortly after her birth at Barnsley hospital. She is now 22 but her mum, Andrea, says she has the mind of an eight-year-old and will never be able to live alone. The family did not consider taking legal action until 2000 when they saw a newspaper advert. Their seven year legal battle ended on Friday when the settlement was reached. They had alleged the South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority was negligent in its management of Sarah's birth in October 1984. Supermarket worker Andrea, 44, said the payout will ensure Sarah, who lives with her parents at Green Road, Springvale, will be able to live more independently. It will also pay for assistance when her parents can't look after her. Andrea said: "It's a big relief. It has been a long process but it has been worth it for Sarah. "It is going to make a lot of difference." Sarah's dad Roger, a steelworker, said: "The money is more for the future, I don't think anything will change straight away."
