A teenage mum died on her first night out just weeks after giving birth to her first child.

It was 18-year-old Kerry Docherty's first chance to celebrate when she and her thrilled sweetheart, Carl Brown, toasted the arrival of their daughter Megan at their local pub.

But in the early hours of the next day, Kerry began fighting for breath. Carl, 22, could only watch in horror as an ambulance took her from their Brighton home to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where she had given birth to her baby by Caesarean section only three weeks earlier.

She died soon afterwards of a chest infection, devastating Carl, her family and friends.

Her mother, Jane Lawson, of Hillcrest Court, Westdean, in Brighton, said: "Megan reminds me so much of Kerry. This is all so unreal. It has been such a shock to everyone. Kerry was glowing. She had lost a bit of weight and was all dressed up. She just wanted to go out and have a good time."

Hundreds of people attended her funeral at Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton to pay tribute to the girl they said was "always smiling".

Some of her favourite songs were played, including Elton John's Circle of Life.

Kerry's tiny daughter Megan now faces the prospect of growing up without a mother and dad Carl Brown will bring the toddler up on his own.

Kerry and Carl even discussed marriage plans on the night of the tragedy and had tentatively decided to tie the knot in Scotland.

The Brighton coroner confirmed that Kerry died of natural causes.