A teenage girl has been left paralysed from the waist down after a routine operation to remove gallstones went wrong at a Birmingham hospital.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital bosses have admitted mistakenly leaving an epidural spinal anaesthetic in place for more than two days, which left 14-year-old Sophie Tyler with permanent damage to her spinal cord in 2008.

Sophie, from Newport in Wales, was sent to Birmingham for surgery to remove gallstones in May 2008 as the hospital is a leading regional NHS centre for operations.

But when the surgery drew to a close, an epidural was put in the child’s spine to control the pain and not removed for more than two days, despite the youngster complaining that her legs had gone numb.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital has now admitted liability for the error, paving the way for a compensation payout to secure care for Sophie for the rest of her life.

Devastated Sophie, now aged 17, has been forced to adapt to a very different life from the one the active, lively teenager once lived.

Sophie’s mum, Sue Tyler, said: “My daughter’s life has completely changed as a result of what happened.

“From being an outgoing teenager her life has altered overnight and we have all had to come to terms with what has happened.