A remarkable young girl who died after suffering an anaphylactic shock has helped save four lives through the donations of her organs.

Rising tennis star Sadie Bristow, nine, was the top-ranked tennis player in the UK in her age group when she suffered a fatal allergic reaction while on a family outing in August.

It has now emerged that her grief-stricken parents made the brave decision to help others live through their daughter, and among those to receive help was a woman in a coma who is now out of intensive care.

"It was heartbreaking, but we didn't hesitate," said dad and tennis coach Stewart Bristow, who lives in Chartham.

"Sadie was a very giving and caring little girl and to think that her organs have saved other lives is something that brings us some comfort."

Stewart said Sadie's kidneys, liver and heart valves were transplanted and the family have been told they are already transforming the lives of the seriously ill recipients.

But he and his wife Clare are also preparing a much further-reaching sporting legacy to their daughter, reflecting her love and talent for tennis.

They are to launch the Sadie Bristow Foundation with the aim of increasing participation in tennis in schools and the wider community.

They will also be working alongside Anaphylactic UK to train a nurse to become a specialist and advisor for allergies, and eventually hope to open a clinic in east Kent.

Sadie had food allergies from birth and was diagnosed as anaphylaxis when she was five.

Her allergies, especially for dairy products, were managed and monitored, but while at Whitstable Castle in August she suffered a sudden and unexplained anaphylactic shock which closed her airway.

Such was the severity that Sadie was unresponsive to treatment despite multiple shots of adrenaline and died the following day in St George's Hospital in London.

Stewart said: "The Sadie Bristow Foundation is helping us deal with the grief and driving us forward with inspiration and as a legacy for our beloved daughter and will be officially launched next April at Bridge and Chartham schools.

"Our aim is to work in schools to support and enhance participation in tennis, while increasing athletic abilities, with the school community in the Canterbury area and, if the module is successful, further across Kent.

"The inspiration behind the sessions will be 'Sadie's Way', which was high athletic ability in tennis.

"We also have a number of associations looking at being involved, as well as former Olympic triple jumper Michelle Griffith-Robinson.

"We will be looking for continued support from government and charitable bodies to help us realise our aim and to hold fundraising events across the local community, schools and tennis communities, to help support."

Anyone wishing to help with fundraising or who has any ideas to further the couple's aims can contact them at clare@sadiebristowfoundation.org.uk

Donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sadiebristow

A holding page for the foundation can be found at www.dontbeafraidtobegreat.org.uk