AN eight-year-old girl who battled a rare neurological condition has died in hospital.
Ellie Nicholl, a P4 pupil at St Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea, near Enniskillen, died at the South West Acute Hospital yesterday morning.
She was born with a condition called H-ABC and at the time of her diagnosis was only the 22nd person in the world with the syndrome.
Research by a team in the US had discovered the faulty gene which caused the condition and her family and well-wishers raised tens of thousands of pounds to help fund further research.
Ellie's family confirmed yesterday she had passed away.
"This morning our beautiful angel Ellie got her wings after a long and difficult fight in this earthly world," they wrote on Facebook.
"We know that she is now free and bound no more by her illness and is already looking down on us.
"Memories of Ellie, her beautiful smile and tremendous courage will keep us brave in the journey ahead without her."
Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St Joseph's Church, Cradien at noon tomorrow followed by burial in Cross Cemetery.
She is survived by her parents Billy and Ciara, older brother Arran and wider family circle.
