Skye Aitman's beat the disease two years ago but when it came back more aggressively earlier this month, doctors said there was nothing more they could do.

The brave youngster's mum Michelle Southern told her to "close your eyes and go to sleep" as she rapidly deteriorated.

Holding back the tears, Michelle told Chronicle Live : “It happened so quick and is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

“I climbed into bed with her and she was being cuddled by her dad.

“I told her that she did not have to fight it anymore and it was ok to close her eyes and go to sleep.”

Skye was "feisty, gorgeous and always smiling"
A short time later Skye lost her battle with cancer at her home in Blyth, Northumberland.

Paying tribute to her daughter, Michelle, 35, said: “She was a feisty and gorgeous girl, who was always smiling.

“It still doesn’t feel real. We thought we’d have longer with her but her body couldn’t fight it anymore.”

In November 2014, Skye’s life was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumour – a type of children’s kidney cancer – aged nine.

Doctors found the disease had reached stage four, meaning it had spread to her lung.

Brave Skye began six weeks of intensive chemotherapy before going under the knife to remove the tumour on her kidney.

Mum-of-two Michelle said: “The doctors told us that it was the size of a rugby ball so it was a big operation.

“It was followed by more chemotherapy and radiotherapy then she had keyhole surgery to remove a little one on her lung.”

After months of recovery, the former Morpeth Road School pupil had her final dose of treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary in December 2015.

“She was allowed to come home for Christmas and doctors said she went into remission,” Michelle said.

“Skye started to try and have a normal childhood again. Things seemed to be going champion.”

But on July 7 this year, disaster struck when Skye’s stomach began to swell leaving her in agony.

Days later the teenager was taken to the RVI where doctors discovered the cancer had returned - but this time there was nothing they could do.

Michelle said: “It was a big shock for us when they said the cancer was back and it was all down her pelvic area.

“The next day the doctors said they couldn’t do anything and on July 17 they let us take her home.”

Skye died later that day surrounded by her family.

Her funeral took place at Blyth Crematorium on July 26 and she leaves behind parents Michelle and Richard, 42, and 10-year-old brother Connor.