Schoolgirl, 5, left fighting for her life after her appendix burst on dream holiday in Mexico - and landing her family with £30,000 of hospital bills

Little Ellie Sparrow, five, was due to be flower girl at her grandmother's Sue wedding in Mexico but was instead struck with a deadly illness before her appendix burst on the dream holiday. 


The youngster (right), from Norton, County Durham, ended up in hospital and blood tests and scans revealed emergency surgery was needed as by this time the youngster's appendix had burst (left). The family were faced with £30,000 worth of hospital bills and Ellie's dreams of being flower girl were crushed. Ms Whitfield, who was sat at Ellie's bedside with her partner Chris and their youngest daughter Madeline, said: 'It was the worst time of our lives.' The family were photographed after Ellie left hospital in Mexico (inset).