THE FAMILY of a nine-year-old girl who died after she collapsed in a school cookery class have paid a loving tribute to her.

Attia Ali was rushed to Royal Blackburn Hospital after she was taken ill at St Peter's Primary School, in Church Street Burnley, on Wednesday.

Attia, the youngest of five children, was taking part in a cookery class when she fell.

Staff carried out first aid at the scene and paramedics tried to revive the year five pupil but she was pronounced dead at 3.25pm, at the hospital.

Father Ghazanfar Ali, said Attia was a healthy girl who had only ever been to the doctors for flu and colds. The 57-year-old taxi driver received a call from the school at 2.40pm.

He said: "I dropped her off at school. She had her cooking equipment because she was going to a cooking lesson and she had ingredients to make bread.

"I got a phone call from the school and rushed over. On my way there the school rang me again and told me to go straight to the hospital.

"She never regained consciousness. We don't know what happened. She was a healthy girl.

"She was closest to her mum because she was the youngest and she will miss her more than anyone else."

On Friday, children from Attia's class lined up at the church next to the school to pay their respects, as her coffin was driven to her house in Leyland Road.

Sister Aysha, 18, said: "She was an outgoing girl. She was always smiling and full of life and couldn't sit still for long.

"She loved being with her family and friends. We all miss her but it hasn't sunk in yet. When it gets quiet, then it will really hit us that she has gone."

Mum Rukhsana Begum, 50, a housewife, said: "What I will miss the most is her saying her prayers to me.

"She had a pink suit she was going to wear for Eid and we just don't know what we are going to do with this or any of her clothes."

The family is going to the school this week to thank pupils and staff for their support.