A PLYMOUTH couple who claim they are victims of a 'toxic sofa' could be in line for a slice of £20million in compensation.

Barry Green was one of thousands of people to suffer health problems after buying a Chinese-made suite.

He spent a week in hospital suffering from blisters, then breathing problems, followed by pneumonia and finally heart failure.

A High Court judge this week ordered a multi-million-pound payout which could land Mr Green, 64, as much as £9,000.

He has been told by solicitors that his case is one of 1,650 to claw back cash from three high-street retailers – all of whom admitted liability — in what is thought to be the largest consumer group litigation in British legal history.

The sofas were manufactured by Chinese firms Linkwise and Eurosofa and sold at Argos, Land of Leather and Walmsleys.

Sachets of anti-mould fungicide placed under the cushions were found to contain the highly sensitising chemical dimethyl fumarate (DMF).

Customers complained of breathing difficulties and severe skin and eye complaints.

Mr Green, who bought a brown Eurosofa suite from Land of Leather in Marsh Mills, told The Herald how health problems that followed "totally changed my life."

Following his ordeal, he was left with nearly half his heart severely damaged — a condition called cardiomyopathy — and is convinced his sofa nightmare is to blame.

Wife Diane, from West Park, said her husband had gone from an active dad-of-four to being unable to walk more than a few yards.

He is now set to retire from Devonport Naval Base and the couple are planning to emigrate to Cyprus.

Diane said: "His illness is progressively getting worse.

"We have to send off medical records but we are hoping to get some compensation before the end of the year — we've had a letter from our solicitor assuring us.

"I just feel sorry for the poor people who won't be getting anything. It doesn't seem fair."

Around 350 customers of Land of Leather — which has since gone into administration — will miss out due to an insurance issue relating to manufacturer Linkwise.

That decision is being referred to the Court of Appeal, while legal proceedings are ongoing for 3,000 cases where liability remains in dispute.

Other sufferers included Torpoint teaching assistant Jo Hill, who developed a rash all over her body that turned into weeping sores, and Plympton mum Paula Brooks, who spent six months enduring the same agony.

DMF has since been banned by the EU, but there has been no national recall from trading standards officials on the estimated 100,000 leather suites believed to have been sold in the UK.