LITTLE Busy Henley wasn't expected to survive her birth - but went on to light up the lives of all she met during her short life.

The three year-old will be laid to rest next week after her brave battle against a number of life-threatening illnesses ended just before Christmas.

Her mum, Georgia Henley, says her poorly girl was a ray of sunshine in her life, and has paid tribute to the medical staff who helped the pair have three-and-a-half memorable years together.

"You can say what you want about the NHS but they were phenomenal to Busy," she said.

"All the staff at the children's ward in Hereford as well as Birmingham and elsewhere became like family. They did everything for us."

Miss Henley, who lives in Saddlestone Circle, in South Wye, Hereford, said despite her health issues, Busy was the happiest girl you could meet.

"She was a joy to be around," said the 28-year-old.

"Busy was a happy, bright and cheeky girl who smiled throughout every illness and hospital admission.

"She smiled all the time and never cried or complained.

"When you looked at Busy it wasn't the terminal illnesses you saw but her bright face and cheeky smile.

"She was just the happiest girl you could meet. She didn't know how to cry until six months ago."

The health problems were first discovered when Miss Henley went for a check-up after feeling anxious about her pregnancy. She was right to feel concerned as tests showed the placenta had failed and little Busy was dying.

"I just felt something was not right," she said.

An emergency caesarean section followed, with Busy born at 29 weeks and weighing just a pound-and-a-half.

"Two more days in the womb and she would have died," said Miss Henley, who doesn't have any other children.

"In fact, they (the medical staff) did not expect her to survive the delivery.

"Then they did not expect her to survive her first hour."

Busy suffered lung failure and required constant nasal oxygen and weekly lifesaving platelet transfusions.

On Christmas Day 2012 she was rushed to hospital, and again three months later.

Her bone marrow later failed before her heart could not cope and developed problems. She contracted a bad bout of pneumonia a month ago which proved the final straw.

"I knew that was going to be the end," said her mum. "She had it very bad.

"She spent her last few weeks with me and her grandma, Hazel Henley. She was her usual bright and cheerful self, playing happily and enjoying the Christmas lights."

She died five days before Christmas, peacefully in her sleep with her mother and grandma beside her.

No cause has been found for Busy's illnesses.

Miss Henley says she wouldn't have got through this Christmas without the support of her mum, who she describes as a "huge part of my life".

A private family funeral will take place next Wednesday (7th) followed by a service at 3pm at Hereford Crematorium, which is open to anyone wishing to pay their respects to Busy, although Miss Henley has politely requested no children or babies attend.

"I would like people to bring a piece of paper with their memory of Busy or some kind of words to be put in a memory box," she said.

"I need happy memories of Busy. I know she touched so many people and it brings me comfort to hear all the happy stories of her."