THE parents of a four-year-old Lyme Regis girl who died after contracting a mystery blood disease sent a message of thanks - and hope - as they left the town to start a new life this week.

Internationally acclaimed artist Andy Wood and his wife Katrina were speaking publicly for the first time about the loss of their daughter Jessie - their "special gift".

She died in hospital in March before doctors could fully diagnose her condition - later revealed by tests to be Aplastic Anaemia, a potentially lethal bone marrow disorder whose causes are still unknown.

Now Jessie's parents are determined to promote awareness of the disease - which can strike anyone at any age - and collect funds for vital research.

In just four weeks they have raised more than £1,000 for the Aplastic Anaemia Trust through a stall outside their Hill Road home.

They set up a table with a picture of Jessie and sold items including toys and clothing for the cause.

Many who saw Jessie's picture simply put cash in the box without taking anything. Others left cheques and donated items for sale.

Now the couple, who left the resort on Wednesday to start a new life in Sussex with their other two children Arthur, 10 and Freya, 8, have spoken of their loss and of their gratitude to local people for their generous support.

Katrina, a qualified hair stylist, revealed how their daughter how become ill last year.

"She had been poorly for some time - about two or three months which was unusual for her," said Katrina.

Eventually Jessie was admitted to Dorchester hospital for bone marrow tests but before doctors could determine exactly what was wrong she suffered a massive fit caused by a brain haemorrhage. She was rushed to a specialist unit at Southampton Hospital but sadly they could not save her.

Said Katrina: "The consultant said it had just blown them out of the water. It was the last thing they expected. She was such a strong little character and had been running around the wards. She fooled them all. But I knew something was up.

"At Southampton one of the nurses had to be sent home because she was so upset by Jessie's death. The doctors in intensive care were just brilliant."

Andy, who was a local retained fireman and who ran his gallery in Coombe Street, said that following Jessie's death the doctors carried out tests and discovered she had suffered for Aplastic Anaemia.

"They had known it was a blood disorder but not exactly which one," he said. If Jessie's illness had been diagnosed doctors could have tried a bone marrow transplant which has a 60 per cent success rate.

After her death Katrina said they wanted to do something to help research into the causes of the disease and "spread the word".

"We put up Jessie's little photograph and some leaflets and put a stall outside our house which was in perfect position next to the car park in Hill Road," she said.

"Some people just put money in and never bought anything others gave cheques and donated things. In around four weeks we have raised about £1,020. We just felt we had to do something and it has worked out very well.

"A friend who knew Jessie summed her up for me . She said she was 'like a gift, like a little angel who was going to heaven.' It was a lovely way of looking at it."

This week the Wood family left the town to begin a new life in Rye, Sussex where they plan to continue to promote the work of the Aplastic Anaemia Trust in whatever way they can.

 Aplastic Anaemia is a life threatening form of bone marrow failure. Few people know about the disease despite the fact that it is as common as some types of leukaemia and just as devastating.  Aplastic anaemia stops the function of the bone marrow where blood cells are made. This means the blood cells, which are essential to life, are no longer produced. People suffer from symptoms such as severe anaemia, uncontrolled bleeding and increased risk of severe infection, each of which can kill.

The disease can strike at any age, affecting many people worldwide. Treatment includes bone marrow transplantation for the minority of patients who have a suitable donor and prolonged, difficult care for the majority.

Anyone who wants to donate money in memory of Jessie should send a cheque to the Aplastic Anaemia Trust at St George's Hospital, Department of Haematology, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE.