A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy who almost starved to death in the days after his birth at Arrowe Park Hospital on Wirral yesterday won a £3million payout from the NHS.

Matthew Kuriakose was born a few days later than expected at Arrowe Park hospital, in February, 2005.

He was in good health but, over the next few days, he resisted all his desperate mother's attempts to feed him, either by breast or bottle.

He was only three days old when the lack of nourishment triggered a devastating hypoglycaemic attack.

Despite treatment in the hospital's special care baby unit, Matthew was left profoundly brain damaged, London's High Court heard.

Barrister, Adrian Hopkins, QC, said cerebral palsy victim Matthew has no mobility to speak of, has to be fed through a tube and suffers from severe epilepsy.

Through his mother, Tresa, Matthew sued Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust, claiming more should have been done to ensure he received the nutrition he needed and signs of his impending collapse should have been spotted earlier.

The court heard the trust admitted liability at an early stage in the case and yesterday agreed to a final settlement of Matthew's case.