A Feltham couple who were tortured in their home by 'feral' youths have been stripped of £100,000 damages awarded against Hounslow Council.

The 51-year-old man and his 45-year-old wife, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were subjected to a catalogue of vile acts by a gang of youths they befriended in 2000.

A judge at London's High Court decided in May last year that social services bosses failed in their duty to protect the vulnerable pair and their two young daughters.

But that ruling was overturned last Wednesday at London's Court of Appeal, where Britain's most senior civil judge said there was nothing social workers could have done to prevent the horrific abuse.

Sir Anthony Clarke said: "There is an important difference between a case where children assert that a duty of care is owed to them and a case like this where the claimants are adults living in the community, albeit vulnerable adults."

The couple and the wife's elder daughter, now aged 19, all suffer from learning difficulties and lived in a 'filthy and chaotic' two-bedroom ninth floor flat in Feltham, with the wife's younger daughter, now 16.

Between November 17 and 19, they were effectively imprisoned in their own home, where they were suffered horrendous abuse.

The father was tortured with knives and solvents and forced to drink urine and faeces. The couple were also sexually abused and the children were assaulted.

Lawyers successfully argued last May that the family were left with post-traumatic stress, for which the council was responsible as its behaviour was negligent.

But Air Anthony ruled last week that there was no way the council's social services and housing department could have foreseen the risk.

A council spokeswoman said: "This is an extremely sad case, and we have every sympathy for the claimants, who were subjected to an appalling ordeal.

"We are also pleased to note that the Court of Appeal praised the social worker involved for her ‘impeccable behaviour’."