A MOTHER has hailed charity therapists after the traumatic death of her young daughter.

Katherine Swan, of Chedzoy, was devastated when her six-year-old daughter Elle-Mai died in her sleep in October 2007.

To make matters worse her son Zack, who was just 18 months old at the time, witnessed her and her husband trying in vain to resuscitate Elle-Mai.

Katherine believes the harrowing event resulted in him eventually being diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, which caused him to bite, kick, and hit other children, and bang his head against walls.

But having previously moved from Lancashire to be closer to Puriton-based charity bibic where Elle-Mai, who had cystic fibrosis, was treated, she decided to take Zack there for help.

Therapists designed a special sensory programme and now aged five, Zack has made real progress and started speaking again, and stopped hitting other children.

Katherine said: “Without bibic we would still have the same little boy who wouldn’t even look at me.

“The whole ordeal has made me half the person I used to be but I have everything to thank them for.”

She is urging Mercury readers to back a bibic campaign, which Zack is fronting, calling for people to sponsor a child to help pay for vital treatment at the centre.

Graham Valentine, Zack’s therapist at bibic, said: “Sponsoring Zack is a wonderful way to see for yourself what a difference you can make to a child and every donation will be used to help fund our unique service for every child who needs bibic.”