A Hyndburn man has been awarded £54,000 compensation after being raped and abused as a schoolboy.



The victim was a pupil at a school in Lancashire, now closed.



The man suffered abuse of a sexual nature, including instances of rape, for over a year at the hands of his social worker.



The abuse has had a prolonged effect on his life, affecting his ability to form relationships, and he is expected to require ongoing medical treatment for the rest of his life.



Speaking on behalf of his client, Jonathan Bridge, of Farleys Solicitors, said: "Our client has suffered for many years as a result of this abuse, and the settlement achieved can at least go some way to him obtaining closure on the horrendous events he suffered as a child.



"This settlement goes to show that cases involving abuse can be pursued for many years after the events occurred, and do not necessarily have to involve court proceedings, which for obvious reasons, clients would rather avoid.



"We are in no doubt that our client was not the only child to suffer at the hands of abuse at the school, and others like this, during this time. Our client has given us permission to publish the details of his case in order to make others who may also have suffered abuse aware that they can pursue action against their former abusers, despite the time lapse since the events took place."



The out-of-court settlement was reached last week after an initial settlement of £35,000 was rejected.



A spokesman for Lancashire County Council confirmed there were no other active proceedings involving abuse at the school.



He said: "We take all allegations seriously, including those of a historical nature.



"The civil claim was settled on the basis of no admission of liability by the county council.



"Each case is considered on an individual basis, as we have a duty to be prudent with public money, however in some cases it is less costly to make such a payment than to incur heavy legal costs."