"SHE brought such a lot of happiness to such a lot of people. She was my Christmas angel and I'm just so lucky she was mine."

This was the tribute of a heartbroken mother, who lost her beautiful daughter only two days before Christmas when her life was tragically cut short at the age of only five.

Little Megan Wright, of Acomb, in York, had spent her entire life battling - ever since she was born 14 weeks premature on October 28, 2002.

But the youngster's parents are determined that Megan's memory will live on, and their daughter's enormous courage has already inspired donations of more than £1,500 to The Press Guardian Angels Appeal and York Hospital's special care baby unit.

Megan's mum, Val Wright, said: "Everybody just loved her. That's why they've been so generous. She had such a magnetic personality. Strangers came and talked to her on the bus, people would just be drawn to her. She was an amazing little girl.

"She was really really cheeky and a lot of fun. Her favourite thing was having a cuddle and she had the biggest brown eyes you have ever seen.

"She had cerebral palsy, epilepsy and chronic lung disease. She couldn't talk or walk or do anything for herself, but she had this beautiful smile. Everybody will always remember her for her smile."

Val and Megan's dad, Steve, asked for donations instead of flowers at their daughter's funeral and collected nearly £800. They have also donated the £600 that was in Megan's bank account when she died.

This money, together with £200 from Mulberry Hall, in Stonegate, York, where Val works as a waitress, will be split between our Guardian Angels Appeal and York Hospital's special care baby unit.

Val said: "Megan was Ward 17's baby. She used to get a lot of chest infections and epileptic fits and we were in and out all the time. She must have been in hospital at least 12 times a year.

"The staff there are fantastic. They all work so hard and I couldn't have got through what I went through with Megan without them. That's why we wanted to support Guardian Angels.

"I feel like I'm in a fog at the moment. I'm at some crossroads and I really don't know which way to turn. But I promised Megan I would always be happy. It would put her memory in vain if I spent all my time being sad, but I miss her like hell."

Megan died suddenly in her sleep on December 23. The cause of her death is still unknown, but Val said she believed it was either a massive epileptic fit, or a side effect of her cerebral palsy.

She said: "Sometimes when you have really severe cerebral palsy you can just forget to breathe. She could have been having a wonderful dream, forgot to breathe and that was it. It was a huge shock for me. I have lost my daughter and I've also lost a part of my life. Megan was my life. Everything about my life was Megan. I revolved around her. I would sell my soul to the devil to have her back.

"People have said to me that it was such a bad time to lose Megan at Christmas, but any time is a bad time and at least now she will always be my Christmas angel. She must have been given a special job to do."

Megan, who had just finished her first term at Hob Moor Oaks School, in Acomb, spent 14 weeks in special care after she was born three-and-a-half months early at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Val said: "She was seven weeks in Hull and then another seven weeks in York. It was very touch and go all the time, but it was amazing how she came through. She had to really fight for life.

"York's special care baby unit were wonderful and they've said they will put our money towards a new cardiac machine, which will be named after Megan."