'Toxic sofa' customers to receive up to £20m

Hundreds of customers who were injured after buying "toxic" sofas look set to receive a total payout of up to £20 million, the High Court has heard.

An agreement has been thrashed out by lawyers which paves the way for "swift" payouts for many victims, a judge in London was told.

Mr Justice MacDuff was told that a "claims handling agreement" had been reached which could "potentially benefit" between 1,500 and 2,000 claimants.

He heard that the agreement did not resolve the whole of the litigation surrounding the purchase of the sofas, but that it would "open the way to swift compensation for many hundreds" of people.

A statement issued by lawyers after the hearing announced that around 1,650 victims of "toxic sofas" manufactured in China, which caused "serious burns", would receive "combined payouts totalling up to £20 million".

They are expected to receive between £1,175 and £9,000, depending on the severity of their symptoms. Legal action is still ongoing in 3,000 cases where liability remains in dispute.