BRAVE little Phoebe Davies, who captured the hearts of people across Kent as she battled against a rare heart condition, has died in hospital.

Phoebe, of Lydia Road, Deal, would have been two in August. She died at London's Royal Brompton Hospital.

The toddler's courage moved thousands of people in the county and last September the Deal-based East Kent Mercury newspaper launched the Friends of Phoebe appeal which helped her parents take her to Canada for a vital heart operation which was performed in December.

In the months since she returned to her home in Kent, Phoebe appeared to be on the road to recovery, but during the past few days her condition deteriorated and she was taken to the Royal Brompton Hospital. She underwent an operation but did not recover.