BEAUTIFUL Ellie May Holden — one of Bolton’s record-breaking quadruplets — has died.

Ellie, described by her heartbroken family as “their world”, died in her father Marc Hanley’s arms at the age of just five years and nine months.

Her mum Gillian Holden and sisters Abbie, aged 14, and the quads Bethany, Millie and Lucy by her side at Alder Hey Hospital.

The youngster, who was a pupil at Green Fold School, was taken to Royal Bolton Hospital last Monday before being transferred to Liverpool after contracting a virus.

But despite her fight and the best efforts of the medical team, Ellie died on Saturday evening.

A heartbroken Miss Holden, aged 41, said: "The girls will forever be quads."

Mr Hanley, aged 53, said: “When Ellie passed away she took a massive part of me.

“She was a huge part of our life, a part of everyone’s life who had met her.

“I could not be more proud of her, you cannot put into words how proud of her I am and how much happiness she has brought to us.”

Miss Holden added: “Ellie was wonderful, she was best thing ever. You should never have favourites, but she was so special.”

Ellie’s parents defied odds of 750,000 to one when they naturally conceived Bethany, Millie, Lucy and Ellie.

They were the first family in Bolton to have quads in 50 years.

The girls were born prematurely by Caesarean section and spent in months in hospital before being allowed home.

They were delivered after just 28 weeks, when the strain of carrying them proved too much for Miss Holden’s body.

Miss Holden said doctors wanted to deliver the children at 25 weeks but she was determined to hold out as long as she could.

Millie and Bethany still needed oxygen 24-hours a day through nasal tubes when they came home and Ellie, who had cerebral palsy, remained on oxygen and under the care of medics .

She underwent a number of operations and always fought back to recover.

Miss Holden, who lives with her partner and daughters in Kearsley, said Ellie was the one who was always giggling and laughing, while Bethany is strong-willed, Millie is cheeky and Lucy is a listener.

She said: “All her sisters gave her her a kiss, and when Bethany went to kiss her, her stats rose and I just thought ‘come on Ellie you can do it’.

“I didn’t want her to go.

“Ellie and Marc had a special bond, we all did, but when she went in his arms she took a huge chunk with him.”

The grieving parents are trying to keep things as normal for their daughters as possible.

Mr Hanley said: “They are asking questions, like is Ellie in heaven, is she coming back?

“I said that she was being looked after by the angels and that she was no longer poorly and was happy running around chasing rabbits."

Miss Holden said: “She will always be a part of this family. She will always be talked about and at Christmas we will visit her in the cemetery with her sisters.

"Christmas will be hard, but she will always be with us.

“We had made so many plans for her, her dad wanted to take her fishing with him, we feel we have been robbed of all we wanted to do.”

The couple have praised the care of medics at Royal Bolton Hospital, where she was cared for regularly and the teams and staff at Alder Hey Hospital for the care of their daughter and support they showed to the family.

Since her death, those who knew Ellie and friends of the family, have put purple hearts in memory of her on social media and now the family want to release purple heart balloons in tribute to her.

Abbie said: “My friend said ‘born quads forever quads’.

“I am devastated. Ellie fought all the way and she was aware her family was with her.

“Ellie would always give you that cheeky grin and communicate with you with her looks and now every night before my sisters go to sleep we say a prayer for Ellie.”

The funeral service will take place at St Stephen’s Church in Kearsley on Tuesday at 1pm where she was christened followed by burial at Farnworth Cemetery under an oak tree, reminding the family of a trip to a park when she lay on a blanket under a tree enjoying the day with her sisters.

Ann Marie Walker, head of Green Fold School, said: "Ellie was a lovely little girl with a bright sunny smile.

"She had an infectious giggle and loved it when there were loud, bright noisy activities going on around her.

"Ellie will be sadly missed by all the staff and children."