James Hammond from Bakewell was born with brain damage after celebrity obstetrician Yehudi Gordon allegedly failed to initiate a caesarean section, which the doctor has now accepted was needed.

James, who is now 16, has cerebral palsy and needs round-the-clock care. He will never be able to work.

Dr Gordon, who has helped stars including Jerry Hall, Elle McPherson and Emma Thompson give birth, has admitted liability for James' injuries, according to a High Court writ.

The negligence claim against Dr Gordon is of the maximum severity.

When James' mother Elizabeth discovered he was in the breach position while pregnant in 1992, she thought she would need a caesarean section.

But she contacted Dr Gordon – who charges £5,000 for his services at birth – and he told her a natural delivery was still possible.

He booked Mrs Hammond into the fashionable Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth, known as John and Lizzie's, in London.

There were complications during labour. James was flat and floppy at birth and only started breathing five minutes later.

The writ said there were no records of his heart rate in the last 90 minutes before his birth apart from one retrospective note.

And the writ, issued by Barratt Goff and Tomlinson solicitors on behalf of James Hammond, said if he had been delivered by caesarean he would not have suffered brain damage.

In July, a boy from Birmingham who developed cerebral palsy after medics made errors during his birth was awarded a record £8million payout at the High Court.

Solicitor Malcolm Goff, who is representing James Hammond, said: "It is true there have been cases where compensation can be considerable, but we are not at a place where we can comment on that.

"The medical case issues need to be sorted out, but they have admitted liability.

"It is accepted James should have been born earlier and if he had we wouldn't be where we are now," added Mr Goff.

Dr Gordon and his solicitors were unavailable to comment.