Rosie Lear, the three-year-old who defied doctors' initial predictions and fought a long battle against heart and lung disease, has lost her fight for life.

Friends and relatives will today join together at a service for the youngster who, two years ago, was given days to live.

Rosie, who lived with her mother Sherry, 24, and sister Sophie, five, in Croxford Gardens, Kidlington, went on to enjoy as normal a childhood as possible.

But the toddler - due to celebrate her fourth birthday in November - died at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, earlier this month.

Miss Lear said: "Rosie started to get a bit puffy because her kidneys weren't working and we asked if the doctors could see her.

"At the check-up they found her heart was in massive failure.

"Then she had a massive heart attack and went on a life support machine.

"She kept having heart attacks and, after the fourth, I decided enough was enough.

"She had been through so much and her little body had just given up. I decided to let her go peacefully."

Rosie was born with heart disease and developed pneumonia when she was days old, which caused damage to her lungs. Doctors said she would not reach her second birthday.

In January last year she had another setback and her parents were told she had days to live. But her poor health did not stop Rosie enjoying playgroup and playing with friends.

Miss Lear said: "She was a brave little girl. We were so proud of her. She didn't cry when she was being treated - she was so used to injections and things like that.

"I made a conscious decision she wasn't going to live like an invalid and friends helped enrol her into Kidlington's Village Playgroup.

"She came on leaps and bounds and was talking like a five-year-old.

"She was very smiley, had a wicked sense of humour and was happy-go-lucky, despite her health problems."

Rosie's funeral was due to be held today at St Mary's Church, Kidlington, at 9.30am.

The family have requested donations to the JR's children's outpatient department, known as the Red Area.

Miss Lear said: "It's a wonderful place with a big mural on the wall and lots of toys, where hundreds of children go every week. It just takes their mind off their problems."