High Court judges have sanctioned a huge compensation payout for people who suffered toxic burns after buying sofas made in China.

The Daily Mail reports that 1,650 people in the UK will share a total kitty of £20 million, after suffering burns injuries from sofas made in China and sold by stores that included Argos, Land of Leather and Walmsleys.

The sofas were made by two firms in China – Linkwise and Eurosofa – which used sachets of the anti-mould agent Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF) in shipments of leather sofas.

The EU has banned the chemical after thousands of people in five European countries complained that they had developed chronic and serious skin complaints after using the sofas. Side effects included burns injuries and breathing problems.

Retailers initially did not respond to the complaints, but victims are expected to be awarded between £1,175 and £9,000 each, according to the severity of their symptoms.

However, around 350 Land of Leather customers may miss out – last year, the firm went into administration and its insurer Zurich has refused to pay out to those who bought Linkwise sofas.

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