A room at the Haven House Hospice will be dedicated to a brave little girl who died from leukaemia at just three years old.

Popular Avon House School pupil Lydia Erratt of Chigwell Rise died in January after a nine-month battle against a rare and aggressive form of the disease.

Her devastated parents, Jacqui and John, requested friends and family to donate money to the planned hospice instead of buying flowers for her funeral. They raised a huge £16,700 in their daughter's memory.

Mrs Erratt said: "Liddy was a shining star to everyone who knew her. She was such a fun-loving girl who adored the Tweenies and Barney. She had a real fun side to her and was a magnet wherever she went.

"Everyone fell in love with her because she was so magical. Thanks to the generosity of our family and friends we can create a playroom at the hospice in Liddy's memory which will be such a fitting tribute because she loved having fun.

"It was after Liddy died that I realised the Haven House hospice was not yet up and running. This surprised me because it is so desperately needed in the area. The nearest children's hospices are in Southend or Surrey."

A cheque for the contributions from friends and family, including a £5,000 donation from Canary Wharf investment bank Barclays Capital, was handed over by Lydia's six-year-old sister, Gabriella.

Lydia was two-and-a-half when she was diagnosed with the disease by specialists at the Portland Hospital.

The brave youngster was admitted to the Portland for intense chemotherapy treatment last July but lost her fight against the disease in January.

Lydia was suffering from a rare form of leukaemia called childhood acute myeloid leukaemia, a cell of which was present in her chromosomes, making it impossible to eradicate completely.

Mr and Mrs Erratt cannot praise staff enough for their care and support during those agonising months when they moved into the hospital, keeping a bedside vigil beside Lydia throughout her treatment.

A former PA with a City bank, Mrs Erratt said: "We lived in the Portland Hospital and it became our whole way of life. The nurses loved Liddy and they became our family. At the end of the day she couldn't have been in a better place.

"Her nursery teacher Mrs Bishop was also very supportive. She used to come up and see Liddy every week. We have been overwhelmed by the support from all of our friends and family who have been a real strength to us. We can't thank them enough."

Lydia's headteacher Sheila Ferrari put them in touch with Angela Meyler, chair of the Haven House Foundation's trustees, HhSTAMP.

Mrs Meyler said: "We were overwhelmed by the amount of money raised in memory of Liddy. The trustees have agreed that the play area will be called Liddy's Playroom and the rest of the money will be used to buy the appropriate equipment.

"There will also be a ceiling of stars in memory of children in the Haven House hospice which will also include one for Liddy. The hospice is planned to open in September."