A BARNSLEY family will receive a multi-million payout after one of their twin daughters died and the other was left severely disabled.

Faye Austin developed complications in her pregnancy which led her to go into premature labour - with tragic consequences.

Charlotte died a week after birth and Elspeth, now eight, developed cerebral palsy because her brain was starved of oxygen.

She will need care for the rest of her life.

Faye, 35, of Carlton, became pregnant with her first children in April 1998. She developed a condition known as twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome - meaning both girls fed off the same placenta. Such pregnancies are often difficult and the experts acting for the Austins claim Barnsley Hospital should have done more to monitor Faye.

The couple sued the hospital for between £3 and 5 million. Yesterday the hospital agreed to pay half of that but has not admitted liability - although procedures have been changed as a result.

The full settlement will not be agreed for about a year but Faye told the Chronicle she would use an interim payment to make alterations to her Royston Lane home.

She said: “A lot of people say I must feel bitter but sometimes I think bitter is the wrong word to use. It was one big gigantic sorry mess but out of it all I still have Elspeth and I would not want to be without her.”

Yesterday a spokesman for the hospital said: “We are committed to offering high standards of care to all our patients at all times and have expressed our regret to Mr and Mrs Austin over the pregnancy and delivery in 1998.

“We would like to reassure them that we thoroughly investigated the matter at the time and have taken steps to minimise the risk of a similar outcome in the future.”