Talks over Corby toxic waste case start

Parents of 16 children born with birth defects in Corby will try and reach an out of court settlement with Corby borough council this week.

The mothers of 16 children, born fingerless or with webbed feet, claim that they were exposed to contamination from Corby Borough Council's clean up of a steelworks in the 1980's and 1990's.

Last July - the High Court ruled that Corby Borough Council was negligent in the way it cleaned up the toxic waste at the steelworks, and its mismanagement of substances could have been the cause of the types of birth defects suffered by the children.

The borough council says it'll challenge the ruling in the court of appeal. Mediation to try and settle out of court starts this week which both sides are seeking.

Speaking to HEART - the leader of Corby Borough Council Chris Mallender said:

"This case has been going on for a long time, it's caused a lot of stress for the claimants and their families, it's causing quite a lot of uncertainty in the town and we think we shoud concentrate on the town and its future and try and put this case behind us."

Danielle Holiday from the claimants' firm Collins Solicitors said:

"Clearly it's an advantage to all parties for this to settle at mediation and the parent's of the children don't want to have to go on and fight 16 individual cases which will inevitably take a few more years and a lot more money."