The child who plays Angelica King in Emmerdale has died

Sophie Firth - who played Angelica King, the daughter of Jimmy (Nick Miles) and Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler), in the ITV1 soap - was left with severe burns after her dress accidentally caught alight on a gas fire and she lost her battle for life after spending nine days in hospital after she contracted a blood infection which caused her organs to fail.

Sophie had been playing at her grandmother's house when the accident happened and despite the brave efforts of her mother Amy Harhoff, 28, to put out the flames with a blanket Sophie was left with 70 per cent burns.

Her parents - who also have a 12-month-old son George - and family are completely devastated by the death of their "beautiful little girl".

Sophie's uncle Mick Harhoff said: "Sophie was such a lovely little girl and she was exceptionally bright … You do expect that one day you may bury your parents but you never expect to bury a child."

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: "This was a tragic accident and our thoughts are with the girl's family and friends at this extremely distressing time.

"Any fire can be dangerous. We would urge people to pay particular attention to the risk of fires in their home during the cold weather and as we approach the holiday season."