A FORMER carpenter who suffered life-changing brain damage when his girlfriend crashed the car they were travelling in has been awarded substantial damages.

Robert Perfect, 34, of Main Road, Alresford, will receive interim payments from the car insurance company to cover his care and rehabilitation needs for life.

The amount awarded has not been disclosed but it was previously thought to be more than £1million.

Today's High Court ruling follows an admission of responsibility from the insurers which was approved in November 2012.

Mr Perfect was injured on the A12, near Ipswich, in September 2008.

He suffered serious brain damage, leaving him with no sense of taste or smell, memory problems and severe obsessive compulsive disorder.

Mr Perfect said: “The settlement agreed will now help me to move forward with my life. I would like to thank everyone that has helped me over the past few years and specially my family and friends - without them I would not be where I am today.”