Russian child swap families win pay-outs

Two Russian families have won £62,000 compensation each from a maternity home that accidentally switched their daughters at birth.

They may use the money to house the girls, now aged 12, next to each other.

The story has captivated Russia since the families learned recently about the switch after the former husband of Yuliya Belyayeva refused to support their daughter, Irina, because she did not look like him.

A DNA test revealed that neither of them were Irina’s parent.

An official investigation tracked down Irina’s biological father, Naimat Iskanderov, who had been raising Mrs Belyayeva’s own child, Anna.

It was not clear whether Mrs Belyayeva had re-married after separating from her husband.

Mrs Belyayeva said she will still struggle to overcome the feeling of shock over the inadvertent swap.