A vehicle suspension damper comprising: a cylinder containing a piston assembly comprising a piston rod having a piston attached to a first end of the piston rod; a working fluid within the cylinder; a needle fixed to one end of the cylinder and configured to engage a blind bore formed in the first end of the piston rod; and a valve located proximate to the first end of the piston rod and configured to surround the needle when the needle engages the blind bore, wherein the valve is configured to meter fluid forced out of the blind bore by the needle during compression through a clearance between an inner surface of the valve and an outer surface of the needle; characterized in that a nut is fixed to the first end of the piston rod, wherein the valve is retained within the nut by a retainer clip , the valve having substantial radial clearance between an outer surface of the valve and an inner surface of the nut such that the positioning of the valve may be eccentric compared with the positioning of the needle, wherein said nut comprises a seat and said valve comprises a check valve, the arrangement being such that, in use, during compression when the needle enters said blind bore the check valve is moved, by fluid pressure within the blind bore and flow of working fluid out of blind bore, against the seat of the nut and the bulk of escaping fluid must flow through the clearance thereby dictating a rate at which the needle may further progress into bore, and substantially increasing the damping rate of the damper and wherein the valve is configured to meter fluid entering the blind bore during rebound through a slot machined in a first surface of the valve oriented such that the side with the slot is proximate to an upper face of the valve retainer clip. a cylinder containing a piston assembly comprising a piston rod having a piston attached to a first end of the piston rod; a working fluid within the cylinder; a needle fixed to one end of the cylinder and configured to engage a blind bore formed in the first end of the piston rod; and a valve located proximate to the first end of the piston rod and configured to surround the needle when the needle engages the blind bore, wherein the valve is configured to meter fluid forced out of the blind bore by the needle during compression through a clearance between an inner surface of the valve and an outer surface of the needle; characterized in that a nut is fixed to the first end of the piston rod, wherein the valve is retained within the nut by a retainer clip , the valve having substantial radial clearance between an outer surface of the valve and an inner surface of the nut such that the positioning of the valve may be eccentric compared with the positioning of the needle, wherein said nut comprises a seat and said valve comprises a check valve, the arrangement being such that, in use, during compression when the needle enters said blind bore the check valve is moved, by fluid pressure within the blind bore and flow of working fluid out of blind bore, against the seat of the nut and the bulk of escaping fluid must flow through the clearance thereby dictating a rate at which the needle may further progress into bore, and substantially increasing the damping rate of the damper and wherein the valve is configured to meter fluid entering the blind bore during rebound through a slot machined in a first surface of the valve oriented such that the side with the slot is proximate to an upper face of the valve retainer clip. <EOS>