Schoolgirl Emily Paxford, who won a national award for her bravery in fighting cancer, has died aged just 13.

Her parents Mark and Christine have asked her many friends from Sheldon School, Chippenham, and their home village of Derry Hill, near Calne, to wear pink at her funeral tomorrow.

Scores of people are expected to gather at Christchurch, Derry Hill, at 1.45pm to remember the brave youngster who died on January 28 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2009.

Her twin brother George suffered from cancer too, picking up in 2007 the same Little Star Award from Cancer Research UK as his sister for his courage in fighting osteosarcoma, an extremely rare leg cancer.

Her parents spoke of the trauma of their children’s illnesses when Emily received her award just before Christmas.

Mr Paxford said: “Her illness has been much harder to deal with as she has been more poorly than George and her treatment was much more intensive.

“George was only in hospital three or four times whereas Emily has been in pretty much since she was diagnosed. There is no magic solution – you just have to deal with it.”

Speaking at the same time Ian Pople, consultant paediatric neuro-surgeon at Frenchay Hospital, where Emily was treated, said: “Emily is an extraordinarily brave little girl and the bravery she and her family have shown has been remarkable.”

Sheldon school tutor Emma Barton, who has known the Paxford family for around three years, said this week: “Emily was just a lovely, lovely girl.

“She was fairly quiet but so strong and kind to others. Her friends have been caring to her and supportive of her but when she was still in school she was just as caring to them.

“Emily worked hard in every one of her classes and was an all-round pupil. She was polite and sweet and happy.

“Her friends have written in a card to her family that she will be truly missed, and that’s absolutely true – Emily is going to be so missed by all of us.”

Mrs Barton said students requiring support can always go and speak to members of staff or the pupil support worker.

Emily died at the Children’s Hospice South West, near Bristol, and Sheldon pupils are now thinking of ways to raise money for the hospice.

“I visited her at the hospice and it was such a lovely place,” said Mrs Barton.

“The staff seemed really friendly and brought her rabbit across for her so she could see it out of the window, which was a really lovely thing to do.”

She said twin George had returned to the school for a trip, and praised him as “an amazing brother”.