CHRISTMAS was special for the family of Charlotte Rudge.

Her parents Sandra and Phil, pictured with Charlotte and her brother Christopher, are in a legal battle over a jab they say left her mentally and physically impaired.

The 11-year-old has problems with reading and writing, has trouble walking downstairs and needs help with dressing, bathing and eating.

But her family took pleasure from her delight in the Christmas celebrations.

Sandra, 40, said: "It was the first time Charlotte had ever got excited about Christmas.

"We were really pleased because it showed she understood a bit more about it which means she could enjoy it more."

Charlotte, who goes to a special school in Yate, was given clothes, CDs and educational CD-Roms.

The Little Stoke family joined seven other families to claim compensation over the three-in-one measles, mumps and rubella vaccination, given to Charlotte when she was 14 months old.

They say it left her permanently damaged and she will need to be looked after for the rest of her life.

Writs have been filed at the High Court asking for more than 50,000 per family to provide for the children in the future.

Sandra said: "We know we've got a long way to go but we want to do as much as we can to make Charlotte secure in the future.

"All we want for the New Year is for her to reach more milestones. Everything revolves around that."