Brave Lucy killed by virus

Schoolgirl Lucy Travell-White has died. The13-year-old - who developed a viral infection which prevented surgeons from carrying out the lung transplant she desperately needed - died at Great Ormond Street Hospital last night with her parents, David and Sam, at her bedside.

Today the hospital said in a statement: "Lucy died peacefully at 5pm last night with her parents by her bedside.

"Our condolences go out to her family and friends at this difficult time."

Yesterday doctors said they were praying for a recovery from the virus brought on by the cystic fibrosis from which Lucy was suffering - but feared she would not survive the day.

Lucy's situation has been dire since she suffered a collapsed lung in November after a trip to Disneyland Paris, and although an operation to reinflate it was partially successful, the mucus caused by the disease collected on her lungs again, leaving her unable to breathe.

Lucy, from Chistlehurst, Kent, spent the last five weeks in hospital in intensive care. It was hoped her new lungs would prolong-her life by up to a decade. Earlier this week Lucy's father David Austin-White, 36, said his daughter was a bright artistic girl who loved animals and never complained, despite having suffered form progressive illness for her entire life.

Her father had said on Wednesday that Lucy was not going to live without a transplant. "It is our last hope. Lucy is strong, she has fought off many other chest infections over the years and doesn't allow anything to pull her down.

"We are lucky to have her today. We will be lucky to have her tomorrow. The day after we will be ecstatic," he said.