A woman who became pregnant despite being sterilised has won a substantial compensation payout.

In an out-of-court settlement, Milton Keynes Hospital agreed to pay Mirella De Maio £20,000.

Ms De Maio already had five children when she learnt she was expecting another child, despite having undergone the procedure.

She had decided against having more children after her youngest son, Gaetano, was born with a hole in his heart. She wanted to return to work, reports Milton Keynes Today.

Doctors discovered Ms De Maio, 39, was pregnant after she went to her local GP complaining of felling unwell.

Four months later, baby Nunzio was born. His other siblings are Gaetano, Francesco, Pasquale, Anna and Teresa.

A spokesman for the law firm representing Ms De Maio commented: "The case was won by clinical negligence lawyers who obtained expert evident to prove the failure of the sterilisation was due to a substandard operation rather than natural causes."