SCHOOL friends of a young girl who died suddenly after collapsing at a Burnley school have paid their respects to her.

Attia Ali, nine, was taken ill at St Peter's CE Primary School in Church Street where she was a pupil, on Wednesday afternoon.

Staff at the school carried out first aid at the scene and paramedics tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at 3.52pm shortly after arriving at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Children from Attia's class lined up in front of the church next to her school to pay their respects, as her coffin was driven to her house in Leyland Road today.

The school also held a memorial assembly on Thursday to celebrate her life, where children read out poems and prayers and held a minute's silence.

Headteacher Alison Mitchell said: "The whole school wishes to express their deepest sorrow over the tragedy of Attia's death.

"We all hold the dearest memories of Attia and will remember her warmth, good humour and most of all her huge beaming smile.

"This is an enormous loss to the school and all our prayers and thoughts are with Attia's family.

"We have been in close contact with her family and are working with our colleagues from Lancashire County Council to offer appropriate support to the family, our children and colleagues from the school.

"The children have been coping really well, we are a close school and the children have been helping each other through this difficult time.

"Staff at the school have been deeply shocked and saddened by her death but they are trying to be strong for the children.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Attia's family at this difficult time."

County Councillor Vali Patel, cabinet member for schools, said: "I was extremely upset to hear about Attia's sudden and tragic death at St Peter's School.

"It must have been truly dreadful for everyone at the school and our specialist team that helps schools during traumatic times is already working with them.

"Above all, my thoughts and prayers are with this little girl's family, who now have to come to terms with this devastating and unexpected loss.

"I send them my sincere sympathy and will be thinking of them in the difficult days ahead."

A post mortem examination has taken place but the cause of death is still unknown.

The family are now awaiting the pathologist report to try to establish how she died.

Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious.

Attia lived with her parents, four sisters and a brother.

Her family declined to comment.

  • Click on the link below for tributes to Attia.