A lawyer who helped a child abuse victim win a six-figure pay-out said last night it would pave the way for thousands of victims to claim from their attackers.

Brighton solicitor Michael Hartley successfully challenged the six-year time limit on claims that had prevented his client, now an adult living in Sussex, suing Middlesbrough Borough Council.

He said: "This is a momentous decision that will potentially have a dramatic effect on this area of the law.

"It will make the legal process fairer for abuse victims and will now allow them the opportunity to obtain compensation."

A child care officer abused Mr Hartley's client at a residential school for four years during the 1980s. The man has since been tried and sent to prison.

The landmark ruling was made in the House of Lords last week during a hearing which also involved a woman who sued Lotto rapist Iorworth Hoare for an attack in 1989.

Under previous laws, victims lost the right to sue either six years after the offence or six years after their 18th birthday.

However, a judge still decides whether to allow a victim to claim compensation for a crime that happened more than six years ago.

Mr Hartley, an associate solicitor with Brighton firm Griffith Smith Farrington Webb, said: "In a case of child abuse, the victim is unlikely to bring a claim within six years.

"There is fear and shame but the ruling will open the door."

David Keegan, director of the High Cost Cases Group, said: "This is a milestone for victims of abuse."