Darren Conquer, 47, ruptured his biceps tendon during a football game in 2003, but the injury was not properly diagnosed until the following year.

He was unable to continue his work as a plumber because the injury was not diagnosed and surgically corrected soon enough, a court in Edinburgh heard.

Lady Carmichael ruled that he was entitled to £542,397 in compensation from NHS Lothian, The Times reports.

She noted that he would probably have been able to return to work within six months if he had surgery soon after the injury.