Inspirational Croydon schoolgirl Melody Driscoll has died after a brave battle with a cruel illness which left her unable to walk or talk.

The New Addington 11-year-old suffered from a number of complex medical problems, including Rett Syndrome, which is a rare and life-limiting genetic disorder which causes severe physical and mental disability.

Her death was announced this morning on the Melody in Mind Facebook group which has kept supporters up to date with her battle.

A post in the early hours said simply "Melody is now at peace with the angels".

Melody Driscoll at a surprise 10th birthday party thrown for her in December 2016

Hundreds of tributes have already been paid on the page from friends and complete strangers, all of whom had been inspired by her fight.

Melody spent much of childhood in hospital and during one stay at Epsom Hospital gained a famous friend, when her favourite pop star Ed Sheeran paid a surprise visit.

He sat on the end of her bed and sang some of his hits while playing a small pink toy guitar.

During the last year of her life her devoted mum Karina and step-dad Nigel, from The Lindens, found themselves at the centre of a legal battle with Croydon Council and King's College Hospital.

Brave Melody and mum Karina

Doctors withdrew pain-relieving morphine against their wishes, with the parents battling for it to be reinstated.

This led to Croydon Council’s failed attempt to make Melody a ward of court – meaning her care would no longer be in the hands of her parents.

So brave for so long

Melody's health had deteriorated in recent months.

In May she was put onto life-support after an unsuccessful operation.

She had been taken into surgery to remove a stone from her pancreas after she suddenly became seriously ill.

But her devastated mum told the Advertiser at the time that the operation “had all gone wrong”.

Parents Karina and Nigel

Fighting for their daughter

While they knew the horrendous illness which Melody fought so bravely for so long would one day take her life, her family wanted to make what time she did have as happy and comfortable as they could.

Her parents had wanted her to remain on powerful painkillers, as without them they said she had "lost her spark" and been left in terrible pain.

But doctors were at odds with their wishes, fearing constant doses of morphine were causing long-term damage.

This led to a legal battle over who could make decisions on behalf of Melody.

Speaking after the bid to make her a "ward of the court" failed, mum Karina said: "It was absolutely horrible, the thought of someone else, who is a stranger to Melody, holding complete control over Melody’s life and upbringing."

A famous friend

Melody's brave fight won her the admiration of her favourite pop star, Ed Sheeran.

As well as his hospital visit to surprise Melody, the kind musician invited her to the O2 Arena last year where he performed a number of his hit songs especially for her.

She was treated to a VIP experience like no other when she got to meet her hero for the second time in six months.

During a soundcheck ahead of a concert, Ed sang four of his hit songs to Melody.

Melody with Ed Sheeran at the O2

He also signed Melody's cast and wheelchair, while he let her choose whatever Ed Sheeran-themed items she wanted from the merchandise shop at the venue.

Mum Karina said at the time: "Ed's management phoned in the morning, and I said that she wasn't feeling 100 per cent well but that she had been given the OK by the hospital to attend.

"When we got to the 02 we were allowed to park backstage and I could hear a man on the radio saying 'she's here'.

"We then went to Ed's room and waited. He arrived and for the first five minutes Melody was starstruck.

"He had to show off his tattoos and then she just smiled, the way the two of them reacted together was just so good to watch."

Ed asked Melody what songs she wanted to hear - even treating her to one he doesn't normally perform.

Karina added: "The songs Melody chose were Tenerife Sea, One, Dive and How Would You Feel.

"The 02 was empty, Ed was on stage and there were the full smoke machines, lighting and screens - it was like a proper concert.

Ed Sheeran with Melody when he surprised her in hospital

"He said he hadn't sung the song One for two years, but he did it especially for Melody.

"It is amazing just how much Ed lifts Melody, in the morning I was wary that he was going to see the extent of her [illness] - but you would not have known she was ill during the meeting and concert.

"That's what I loved about it, Ed just sees Melody for the little girl that she is, he said he's never done anything like this before and really enjoyed it.

"I reminded him that Melody was treating this as a second date, and that she would be expecting a third, a fourth and a fifth."