Movie man's £5.5m crash damages

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A 38-year-old man paralysed in a car crash while on holiday in Australia has been awarded £5.5m agreed damages.

Giles Harding, of Fordington, Dorchester, Dorset, was hurt when a Jeep driven by his then girlfriend rolled on to its roof in February 2002.

He had worked with Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright and was due to edit the film until the crash happened.

On the second day of a hearing at the High Court, the former film editor reached a settlement with the firm.

It's a massive relief it is over Giles Harding

The award follows a landmark House of Lords ruling last summer that British travellers injured abroad could now sue for compensation in the English courts.

Mr Harding sued Tanya Wealands' motor insurers, who admitted liability but contested the level of damages.

The insurers, had claimed New South Wales law should apply - which would have resulted in Mr Harding receiving 30% less in damages than he would get in an English court.

Mr Harding, who was left tetraplegic, said: "It's a massive relief it is over. It has been a very long and difficult matter, but justice prevailed."

His solicitor, Julian Chamberlayne, said: "Most of the award represents future care and loss of earnings.

"Mr Harding has already been through the legal system once, up to the Lords, and didn't really relish it again.

"The defendants had indicated that they were willing to appeal so he would still have been fighting two or three years on."