CANDLES were lit for ‘little angel’ Lily last night as vigils were held in her memory following her courageous battle against leukaemia.

Candles were lit outside St Andrew’s Parish Centre in Pershore on Saturday evening by the organisers of the #lightsforlily online candle vigil in honour of nine-year-old Lily May Filmer of Drakes Broughton.

Brave Lily had fought leukaemia since her diagnosis in 2017 before she died last Saturday and the #LilysFreedomFight touched many hearts as people followed her courageous fight.

All across social media, photographs and videos of candles being lit were posted with a special prayer written for the occasion by Revd Steve Dunton of Pershore Abbey.

Close family friend Nicole Mellish did the honours at the newly created Rainbow Garden in the St Andrew's Garden of Peace, Pershore, which was decorated for the occasion in Lily’s favourite colour purple with bunting, lights and hand-painted butterfly stones, one inscribed “What survives of us is love”.

Writing on Facebook Nicole said: “You’ve been hand-picked for paradise. Love you so much baby girl, you will never ever know how loved you are.”

Many people across Worcestershire have left messages of support and love for Lily’s family and paid tribute to her in their own way.

Emma Louise Nutting wrote on Facebook: “Beautiful baby girl xx fly high lily bug we miss you.”

She also wrote: “Let’s light up social media in a wave of light for a very special 9 year old xx hope you’re dancing in heaven lily bug.”

Myolanda Bishop wrote: “Shine bright my little one.”

Abi Wright wrote: “RIP baby girl! You were such a bright and beautiful little girl! You always managed to cheer me up when I was having a bad day at work.”

The nine-year-old had been battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. She was first diagnosed when she was just five years old in 2017.

In a post, that included heart and butterfly emojis, the family wrote: “I don’t really know how to say this but Lily passed away, with all her brothers and sisters around her.”

Last month we reported that Lily had been moved to Acorns Children’s Hospice for end-of-life care after waking up from a coma. At the time mum Kayleigh Chapman, from Drakes Broughton, said her daughter had shown tiny improvement and they had been hoping she would stabilise enough for her to eventually come home, but said she was still very poorly.