A devastated dad today told how his ten-year-old daughter died from a brain tumour just days after returning from a dream holiday.

Vanessa Molineux died yesterday after a brave battle against her illness.

Her parents Carl and Angela, of Delph Hill, Bradford, believed she was recovering and the family was enjoying a break in Lanzarote when she became increasingly poorly.

Paying tribute to his youngest daughter, Mr Molineux said she had kept smiling through her treatment.

"She touched everybody she met," he said. "She had such a lovely personality. She used to ask people if they were all right even though she was ill.

"The nurses thought she was a real character, she was very brave about it and she didn't complain.

"She just said once or twice: 'Why me?'"

After realising her condition was deteriorating, her parents and 14-year-old sister Claire flew home and she was rushed into Leeds General Infirmary.

They had telephoned staff at the hospital from abroad and when they arrived back they had a message waiting for Vanessa to be brought straight in.

"We got her back home and we were given the bombshell that the tumour had grown back," he said.

"They told us it had spread to other places and that was it now."

Her dad said she was taken to the doctor originally after she suffered bouts of sickness but it soon became clear it was more serious.

They discovered a tumour and she underwent several operations last summer. After undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the future had looked much brighter.

Vanessa, nicknamed Nessy, stunned her teachers and friends at Hill Top Primary School, in Low Moor, when she visited them just seven weeks after she was diagnosed.

She was a huge fan of Leeds United and her hero, Robbie Fowler, sent her a signed pair of his own boots in a surprise package full of goodies when she was ill.

Mr Molineux said Vanessa, who was left partially paralysed and used a wheelchair, had enjoyed every minute of her holiday.

"She loved it in Lanzarote then in the last few days she just went downhill," he said.

"Thankfully she didn't know much about it and hopefully her last memories will be of the holiday.

"It has been a shock but you just cope with it the best you can."