Almost half the population believe Kay Gilderdale should have been able to help her M.E. sufferer daughter Lynn to die without fear of prosecution.

A poll by BBC's Panorama, which will screen a programme about the case tonight, showed 48% of those asked believed friends and relatives should be allowed to help people with painful and incurable illnesses to commit suicide.

Mrs Gilderdale, from Stone Cross, near Heathfield, was cleared in court last week of the attempted murder of Lynn, 31, who she had cared for since she was left bed-ridden by the condition aged 14.

She had helped her daughter to end her life in December 2008. Lynn Gilderdale took a fatal overdose of morphine and other drugs.

During the Panorama programme Mrs Gilderdale describes her daughter's final moments.

She said: "I felt that Lynn was dying after the morphine overdose. She started to show signs of distress with her breathing. I was really worried that she was suffering in some way.

"I crushed a few tablets - not the cocktail that the papers reported or what the prosecution made it sound - I crushed them and gave them to her. I was trying to work out what I could give her to stop the distress, without causing her harm.

"I wanted to be with her and do what ever I could to make that time as comfortable as possible and yes the state was saying once that point came where I started to administer things it was attempted murder but it wasn't - it was helping Lynn to be as comfortable as possible whilst adhering to her wishes.

"You're torn apart because you've got one part of you wanting to respect your daughter's wishes, and you've got your heart being ripped out at the same time because all you want to do is make them better and keep them alive."

The poll showed 73% of those questioned said friends or relatives should be allowed to help someone who is terminally ill to commit suicide.

While 48% believed the same should be true when the illness was incurable and painful, but not fatal, 49% said those involved in those cases should face prosecution.

Panorama: I Helped My Daughter to Die will be shown on BBC One at 8.30pm tonight.