STEPHANIE Aspinall, aged nine, has died after battling against leukaemia since she was four months old.

She endured years of treatment and went to the hospital so frequently she believed all little girls had weekly appointments with the doctor.

Despite fighting the disease, her mother Janice said she remained "such a happy, bubbly little girl".

Stephanie, from Heaton, was so brave that she continued to go to school up to a week before she died.

Dozens of her friends from Devonshire Road Primary School packed St Margaret's Church, Lonsdale Road, for her funeral last week.

To keep the service cheerful, each pupil wore red and released a red helium balloon at her graveside at Heaton cemetery.

The family has been touched by the lovely messages and more than 200 cards sent by their friends.

Mrs Aspinall, aged 41, said: "It's wonderful that so many people have thought about Stephanie and us too. She will be missed so much by everyone."

Stephanie underwent a bone marrow transplant when she was five, and her leukaemia went into remission. But just four months ago, doctors at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury, told Mrs Aspinall and her husband, Eph, that Stephanie had only few months left to live. She had two brothers, Daniel, aged 11 and Kristian, aged four.

Mrs Aspinall said: "We managed to pack loads of things in that time like trips to London and Wales where we stayed in a caravan. We even stayed in York, which the kids loved because we went on a ghost walk around the city when they were supposed to be in bed."

The children at Devonshire Road school have taken part in a special week for Stephanie since her death on October 11, to give the youngsters the chance to chat about what has happened as many have been upset about the loss of their schoolfriend.

In memory of her daughter and to help others, Mrs Aspinall hopes to help raise money to build a children's hospice in Bolton, similar to Derian House in Chorley.

Mrs Aspinall, aged 41, said: "Derian House, where Steph was cared for, is a fantastic place. She thought it was brilliant. But a lot of families in a similar situation coming from this area may not have cars and may struggle to get to Chorley.

"I would love to help raise money towards something like this. It would be of benefit to Bolton -- and help children like Steph."