A mother and father are fighting for extra compensation from a hospital whose staff they claim switched off their baby's life-support machine to save cash.

Leigh and Clare Brown say they were given 20 minutes to agree to the withdrawal of treatment to their brain damaged son Curtis, who was starved of oxygen during birth at the Conquest Hospital, Hastings.

The couple from Bexhill claim they were pushed into agreeing with the withdrawal of treatment and that their son had a chance of life.

They want additional damages from the hospital and have put the matter in the hands of solicitors.

Compensation tables show that payouts for a dead baby to be £7,500 compared to the possible multi-million pound bill for a hospital to care for a severely handicapped child.

The claim has enraged Hastings and Rother NHS Trust.

A spokesman said: "We can again repeat how sorry we are and express our deepest sympathy to the parents and family of baby Curtis Brown. We do however feel the latest allegation made by the family is completely unfounded.

"The decision to turn Curtis's ventilator off was made by senior clinical staff at the time in conjunction with his parents.

"The decision was based on clinical grounds following the full assessment on Curtis's condition and with his best interests at heart. At no time was the decision influenced by the financial implications of future care provision."

Curtis, born in November, 1998, was Mr and Mrs Brown's first child. His mother, 31, went into labour normally but irregularities occurred in the baby's heartbeat which were not discovered for four hours.

At an inquest last December, consultants admitted mistakes had been made but it was not proved any had directly led to the death.

It was found that the 7lb 8oz baby had died from asphixiation caused by the umbilical cord being wrapped round his neck.

Mr Brown, 32, said: "It was like living through a nightmare. We were in complete shock.

"We agreed to the machine being turned off and as far as we were concerned, that was the end. It was over."

The couple later attended an investigation panel at the hospital when they learnt the death could have been avoided.

Mr Brown said: "The first thing that entered my head was that they had rushed the decision because of the cost if he stayed alive."

Mr and Mrs Brown now have a baby son who was born at Eastbourne District General Hospital earlier this year.