A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl has died after suffering an asthma attack at her Bolton home.

Jessica Anders died despite attempts by her mother and paramedics to revive her.

On Wednesday the popular girl, who loved football, cycling and swimming, was buried in her favourite England kit.

Heartbroken parents Roy and Amanda, of Lincoln Avenue, Little Lever, said their daughter had lived life to the full, refusing to let her asthmatic condition affect her.

Jessica was taken ill on Tuesday last week when she woke up feeling wheezy. After taking medication her condition failed to improve and her mother called an ambulance.

But while she was on the phone, Jessica stopped breathing and fell off a kitchen stool. Despite frantic attempts by her mum and paramedics, she could not be revived.

Jessica's parents paid tribute to the courage of their daughter, who was a pupil at Bowness Primary School.

Despite having to use a nebuliser twice a day and take steroids, she wanted to be like any other child her age, they said.

"She was just a brave little girl who wanted to join in everything," said Mrs Anders, aged 28.

Mr and Mrs Anders said Jessica was diagnosed with asthma when she was four.

Jessica, who played football for the Little Lever under-nines team and was a Wanderers fan, had regular treatment for her condition at Booth Hall Children's Hospital, Manchester. She had to use a nebuliser, and take steroids and other drugs every day.

Mrs Anders said: "She had to take a box full of medication every morning but none of her friends knew. She was taking steroids and hated the way they were beginning to change the way she looked, giving her a rounder face.

"Once she had taken everything, she would just go outside and be like every other child.

Mr Anders, aged 38, said: "Jessica hated taking the medication, but she didn't go around complaining. She never let it stop her swimming, riding her bike or playing football.

"She was one of those people who could have been anything she wanted to be. She always said she wanted to be a doctor so she could help other people."

Jessica had recently enjoyed holidays in Disneyland Paris and Holland with her parents and six-year-old brother Cameron and realised her dream of seeing dolphins.

Mr Anders, aged 38, said: "To most people asthma is just taking an inhaler. People have even said to me they go walking up hills to get it out of their child's system but it wasn't like that with Jessica. It was life changing for her.

" She wanted to be like any other nine-year-old and no-one realised exactly how she was because she never said anything about it.

"She was a really strong person but also really intelligent. . "

Mr Anders said: "You think you've got all the time in the world to go to these places. I'm so glad we went to Disneyland but she wanted to go to Italy, Portugal and Spain because she wanted to fly there. We had always gone on boats in the past."