A distraught mum is still no nearer knowing why her three-year-old daughter died.

And Andrea Walker has been warned it could be several more weeks before she learns what happened to little Ellie.

“This whole nightmare is just made worse by the fact we don’t know what caused her death,” said Mrs Walker, 46, of Bar Lane, Riddlesden.

She attempted to resuscitate Ellie with CPR and mouth-to-mouth after finding her laid motionless on her bed on the morning of January 14. But she was pronounced dead on arrival at Airedale Hospital.

An initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive, and samples have now been taken from her brain.

“They have been sent off for analysis and I’ve been told it could be weeks before the results are known,” said Mrs Walker, a Keighley town councillor.

“We’ve still absolutely no idea why Ellie died. She was such a cheerful, lovely child and there was no sign of any problem.

“She was a little bit off colour the day before her death, but nothing untoward. We just thought she was starting with a cold.”

An inquest into Ellie’s death was opened and adjourned in Bradford last Thursday.

The funeral service takes places at St Mary’s Church in Riddlesden at 11am on Monday, followed by interment at Morton Cemetery.

Mourners are being asked to wear an item of clothing in pink or purple, Ellie’s favourite colours.

Donations are being invited to Airedale Hospital’s special care baby unit, where Ellie spent some time after being born prematurely, weighing just 4lb 9oz.

Ellie was a popular member of the Mothers and Toddlers group at St Mary’s in Riddlesden, and had just started at the village’s Bramble Hedge playgroup.