A BABY has died in her mother’s arms after a seven-day fight for life.

Doctors switched off the life support machine for little Faith Cook after she showed no improvement in her condition.

Her mum Helen Benson, 26, said doctors had told Faith’s family they thought she had contracted toxo-plasmosis in the womb.

After the birth she could not breathe on her own.

Results from a brain scan revealed there were no signs of improvement and the decision was made to remove her life support.

It was the first time since she was born last Thursday that Mrs Benson had been able to hold her daughter.

Mrs Benson is being supported by the baby’s father, Tom Cook, 31, whom she is now separated from, and her husband Andrew Benson, 46, who she has split from, but still lives with in Darwen.

Mr Benson, a carer, said: “We all sang happy birthday to her at 1.55am on Thursday to celebrate a week of her life.

“When she died later that night she was in her mother’s arms.

"It was the first time that Helen was able to cradle her. "There had been no improve-ment in her condition and the doctors told us she probably wouldn’t make it.”

He said that he was told that the doctors had found toxoplasmosis in her bloodstream and said that it most likely got there because of cat faeces.

He said: “We are all heartbroken.

“Helen is always so hygienic and it is so hard to imagine where this has come from.”

The family has spoken out to the Lancashire Telegraph to raise awareness of toxoplasmosis and urge others to take extra care to avoid their heartbreak.

Faith, Mrs Benson’s second child, was born five-and-a-half weeks premature at four pounds nine ounces.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite that gets into the bloodstream.

Mrs Benson said: “Faith is now at peace and will be remembered always in our thoughts.”

In the UK, around 2,000 women a year get the condition while they are pregnant.

The effect on the baby depends on how early it is caught.

The earlier it happens the worse it is for the child.