A young mother who was suffering from cervical cancer but who was not correctly diagnosed by medics is to receive compensation for her ordeal.

Cheryl Field, 33, had a smear test in 2001 which proved negative, but by January 2003, she began to suffer pain and bleeding.

Although she was given a referral to a gynaecologist by Dr Shamsh Suleman at Withymoor Village Surgery, it was a non-urgent appointment and it was not until five months later that a tumour was discovered.

"I told my doctor … that I was worried about cancer but he laughed this off and told me not to be silly," said Ms Field.

The tumour was too large to be removed and Ms Field had to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which has left her with permanent damage and unable to work.

Dudley Primary Care Trust has now agreed to pay the victim an undisclosed but "substantial" sum of compensation.

Chief executive of the organisation Mark Cooke said: "We accept that the standard of care which Mrs Field received fell below that which she was entitled to expect."

The reports follow news from last month that a Manchester woman had received compensation from Wythenshawe Hospital after her cervical cancer was also misdiagnosed and she almost died.