A YOUNG girl with a "love for life" died in hospital last night hours after receiving treatment for a mystery illness.

Kirsty Moss, aged nine, died in the casualty department of the Royal Bolton Hospital. Only hours earlier she had been taken to her family doctor. He prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection.

And today it was revealed that Kirsty's baby sister has also been taken to the hospital suffering from similar symptoms. Her family are at her bedside. Kirsty, of Sandyhills, Great Lever, was taken ill early yesterday and her mother took her to see the family doctor. She was prescribed antibiotics but at 6pm last night she was rushed into the casualty department where she died. A post mortem examination was due to be carried out this lunchtime but health chiefs reassured other parents that they have no need to worry.

Kirsty was a year four pupil at St Michael's CE Primary School in nearby Green Lane. News of her death was broken to other pupils at the school today by the headmistress Mrs Janet Westwell.

She said: "Kirsty was a lovely little girl. She loved life and was involved in everything. She played netball, sang in the choir and has been a member of the gym club since she was a tiny tot. This is a tight-knit community and we have lost a very loved member. The school has been left devastated by her sudden death."

Dr Robert Aston, consultant in communicable disease control, said: "I do not believe that any members of her family, friends or fellow pupils have anything to worry about."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.