A postman who will need care for life after suffering head injuries in a road smash had been awarded £1.7m damages in a High Court settlement.

Keith Weight, 55, was unconscious for two weeks after the accident in February 1994, in which his van collided with a car and trailer in Thorpe Mandeville, near Banbury.

Mr Weight, now cared for at the Leonard Cheshire Home in Adderbury, suffers from acute memory loss and impaired concentration, and needs a wheelchair to get about.

Mr Weight, who lived at Middleton Cheney, near Banbury, at the time of his accident, sued the driver of the other vehicle, whose insurers yesterday agreed to settle his claim.

His counsel, Timothy Grice, told Mr Justice Mackay that the cash would be used to pay for Mr Weight's care.

Part of the award will be put in an investment fund designed to guarantee him a secure, index-linked and tax-free income for life.

The judge said he had "no hesitation" in approving the settlement in the case, which was backed by the Communication Workers' Union.