A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl who bravely battled a brain tumour has died.

Shaylee Houghton was diagnosed with the rare tumour, known as grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme, in August.

After a courageous four-month battle with the illness she died in hospital on Thursday night.

The condition, which affects just three out of every 100,000 people, is incurable and inoperable.

Shaylee, of Thursby Road, Nelson, had just started her first year at Holy Saviour Primary School when she was diagnosed at Manchester Children’s Hospital.

She underwent gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy to try to control the tumour.

And friends and family, including mum Gemma, rallied round to pay for days out and trips for Shaylee while she coped with the treatment.

A fundraising group was also launched on Facebook which has over 1,600 members.

Amongst those who helped was hairdresser Jenni-Rae Hollins who raised £500 when she had her hair shaved off at Nelson and Colne College, while a pub crawl by friends wearing ‘Shaylee’s Angels’ t-shirts around Nelson also raised a large amount of money.

Gemma broke the news to members of the site on Thursday.

More than 100 people have since left tributes to Shaylee, while more than 250 have joined another group to pay their respects.

Following the diagnosis she had six weeks of radiotherapy at The Christie hospital, Manchester, followed by a week off and then the start of chemotherapy.

Doctors told the family there was only a 10 per cent chance the treatment would control the tumour.

Gemma took Shaylee to the doctors in August after she noticed her arm was trembling.

She was tested for diabetes but a week later Gemma was still concerned as the problem was persisting. Shaylee was taken to hospital and tests revealed the cancer.