A schoolboy who lost both his legs after his GP failed to diagnose meningitis has received more than £2.5 million in damages.

Seb McDonnell, who lives in Appledore Crescent, Folkestone, fell ill on Christmas Day 1997, when he was four years old.

Dr Pia Holwerda, of The White House Surgery in Cheriton High Street, was called out twice to visit him at his grandparent’s home in Shorncliffe Road, but failed to see that he was seriously ill.

His mother Christina called an ambulance. Meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia were diagnosed at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford.

He was then taken to Guy’s in London where he was on a life support machine for two months.

Seb, now 15, had to have a leg amputated and the tips of four fingers.

He had 46 operations to save the other leg, but that was also amputated two years ago.

Dr Holwerda was found to be negligent at a hearing before a High Court judge in 2005.

The damages figure was agreed at the High Court last Thursday

Miss McDonnell said: “I can’t believe it is finally over. We can now look to the future.” .

Seb, a pupil at Pent Valley school who hopes to pursue a music career, said: “I’m happy we’ve won the court case but it’s not going to bring my legs back.”