A young mother who was forced to give up a life abroad when she was struck down with Motor Neurone disease has died.

Justine Bridger died in Hurstwood Park Neurosciences Centre in Haywards Heath last Tuesday with her family at her side.

Her partner Rhett Imrie, of Crayford Road, Brighton, said: "We were hoping for a miracle and we worked with healers and spiritualists. But although her spirit was 100 per cent healed, her body could not cope.

"Justine fought absolutely to the end and was willing to go through anything because she so wanted to live.

"Then on the morning she died she wrote a note saying 'Please let me go.' I think she was just so weak she knew it was time. She passed away that afternoon."

Rhett described Justine, 34, as "pure, loyal, fun-loving and a little bit crazy".

Justine and Rhett, 35, were both keen surfers and decided to start a new life together on the Algarve. Their happiness was complete when Justine discovered she was expecting a baby.

Just weeks before their son Levi was born, Justine developed a speech slur which turned out to be the first symptom of the muscle-wasting Motor Neurone disease.

The couple refused to accept Justine's illness was terminal and, after returning to Brighton, embarked on a long and painful mission to find her treatment.

Conventional medicine seemed to offer Justine little hope so the couple sought help from a Brazilian healer and medium. She changed her diet and had all her fillings removed and worked with other healers.

Although there were slight improvements, her condition continued to deteriorate. She was admitted to Hurstwood Park five weeks ago.

Rhett, who gave up his job as a carpenter to care for Justine, said Levi, two, had coped brilliantly.

"For the previous couple of weeks Levi had been very quiet and quite sad and tearful. When I asked him why, he just said 'Mummy'. I asked him if he wanted to say goodbye and he said he did. I took him into the hospital room and he waved her goodbye. He is a very special boy and I think he knew."

One of Justine's greatest sadnesses was that as soon as her illness took hold, she was unable to cuddle the child she had so longed for.

The couple had hoped to marry in September but Justine was too weak to go through the kind of ceremony she wanted.

Rhett said before Justine became ill he had no strong views on healers.

He added: "But now my eyes have been opened. We are on Earth for a very short time, it really is the blink of an eye. I have already made contact with Justine through a medium and I know we are going to be meet each other again."

Justine's funeral will be on Friday at Downs Crematorium, Bear Road, Brighton at 9.45am. The wake will be at the Babylon Lounge, Kings-way, Hove from 11am-5pm.

There is no dress code and flowers or donations to the Motor Neurone Disease Association are welcome.

Rhett said: "Everyone who knew Justine is welcome."

At least three people a day die from MND in the UK. It leaves people unable to walk, talk or feed themselves but the intellect and the senses usually remain unaffected.

Actor David Niven, football manager Don Revie and journalist Jill Tweedie died of MND but Professor Stephen Hawking has survived the disease for more than 35 years.