Today we catch up with the story of Ayse Boguc, a little girl whose plight touched the hearts of thousands of Evening Press readers.

Born prematurely, she survived against the odds. But Ayse's early arrival left her susceptible to retinopathy by prematurity, a condition which claimed her sight.

Six years ago, readers raised £27,000 in double-quick time to send Ayse to the United States for pioneering surgery before her first birthday. It was an incredibly generous response to a very touching story.

But there was to be no perfect ending. The operation failed to restore her sight, although it is believed it gave her enough vision to see vague shapes and light.

Readers will be delighted to see how well Ayse, now six, has grown and progressed since then. She is a happy, musical child who has made many friends at Derwent Infants School, York.

But her handicap is permanent and she will need the help of others for the rest of her life. That is why the £620,000 damages agreed in court are so vital and welcome. The money will never compensate Ayse for what she has lost. It will, however, give her the long-term security she needs.

Along with the award comes a public admission by the medical authorities of negligence.

If they had diagnosed Ayse's eye condition earlier, emergency surgery could have saved her sight. It was a tragic mistake. Ayse's mother Jacqui hopes that the publicity surrounding her family's suffering, along with the damages award, will be enough to ensure doctors never repeat the error.

It is disappointing that it takes so long for such cases to be brought to a successful conclusion.

Now that Ayse's case has, her family can begin to plan for the future. We wish them well.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.