A pensioner has been awarded compensation after a "toxic sofa" left him hospitalised and suffering for months.

Maurice Heminsley, 68, from West Midlands, was handed a four-figure sum by Furniture Warehouse, after a Chinese sofa left him with weeping sores and a rash for three months across his body.

"The settlement means I can now put this really painful episode in the past," said Mr Heminsley.

The £1,100 sofa contained an anti-mould agent that reacted with Mr Heminsley's skin. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is packed into furniture to avoid humidity damage, but in warm conditions the fungicide can evaporate and soak into the skin.

"It was like someone was pouring hot water over him. Maurice had been suffering for more than a week before he finally confided in us that he had a painful rash," said Mr Heminsley's sister, Joyce Barham.

Products containing DMF were banned by the European Commission in May this year, but thousands of sofas containing the material were imported a few years ago.

Their presence in the consumer market has lead to a 2,000 strong group case, scheduled to be heard in the Royal Courts of Justice later this month, from customers who bought sofas from multiple retailers including Argos, Walmsleys and Land of Leather in the past year

Malcolm Horner, Head of Personal Injury at Rowlands LLP and Fellow of Association of Personal injury Lawyers says:
"The Article highlights problems that are occuring all over the country with such articles.

Rowlands Solicitors have been instructed to claim compensation against two other retailers and admissions of liability have been obtained on each after a protracted battle  where hundreds of cases were commenced by firms all over the country.

Our clients will receive their rightful compensation and some are still suffering physically and/or emotionally years after the event.

The failure by the manufacturers/retailers will prove very costly!"