A BRAVE girl battling a range of life-limiting conditions who was brought back from the brink of death enjoyed Christmas in her very own purpose-built winter wonderland.

For the second year, little Erin Sadler, aged six, enjoyed an immersive festive experience thanks to the work of her loving mum Helen.

Erin has a number of serious medical conditions including kidney, liver and heart disease, and has had more than 100 blood transfusions in her lifetime.

In July, she suffered a severe lung infection and went into cardiac arrest in her mother’s arms.

She had no pulse for 15 minutes, but remarkably a team at Colchester General Hospital managed to revive her.

Erin went on to develop pancreatitis and deep vein thrombosis, leaving her in huge pain.

Helen, 41, said: “She cannot have a general anaesthetic because of her heart.

“She can’t be sedated, her health is very complex.

“When her line needed to be replaced in her arm it was just a squirt of cold spray beforehand.

“She got through that as well, through her sheer will and strength.”

Although Erin has struggled to attend regularly, she is a pupil at Highwoods Primary School.

Her doctors fear she will not survive to see her teenage years, but she has defied every expectation so far.

Her mum has now built a winter wonderland scene in the conservatory at their home by repurposing Erin’s boxes of vital medical supplies.

She used empty boxes of antihypertensive medication, medicines prednisone, and dalteparin, as well as syringes and boxes from Erin’s feeding bags.

Helen spent up to five hours a night, four nights a week, making the 5ft castle display covered with gems and jewels, papier mache, and paint.

Four months on since Erin’s devastating near-miss, the little miracle is now enjoying the bespoke wonderland.

It sits in the conservatory so Erin can gaze at it through the doors - looking like a magical Christmas scene.

Erin’s winter wonderland will be on display at her grandfather Philip Sadler’s house in Colchester through to early 2020.

“The winter wonderland is like a therapy for me, my mind doesn’t switch off,” said Helen.

“This year we have made it even bigger and better.

“Erin went into cardiac arrest in my arms, I was holding her.

“She is the air I breathe and she is my heart.

“It is difficult and I have found when I have time to myself the anxiety and reality sinks in.

“She just turned six, I did a big birthday party for her and I needed it to be special.

“I know I don’t to have as many birthdays and Christmases with her as she should have.

“Christmas is a difficult time for us. My mum died on Boxing Day 2012 and six weeks later I found out I was pregnant with Erin.

“We are so proud of her.”

She added: “Hers is an amazing story of survival, and she’s received so much support and love over the years, but especially since the cardiac arrest.

“I want to show her off to the whole world, I love that people care about her.

“Because she’s so young, I think she possibly copes with everything better than I do.

“I have dreaded ringing in the New Year since Erin got really ill, because I just can’t imagine what else she’ll have to endure.

“And at the end of each holiday, when we bring the scene down, I burn all the boxes, so that we can start every year afresh.’’

On December 2, Helen and Erin attended Colchester General Hospital’s annual Christmas party - where she sang Disney tunes for everyone.

Dressed to impress in her little Christmas dress, with holly painted on her face, she even met Santa Claus in his cheery grotto.

Helen revealed Erin asked for a VTech yellow camera, Nintendo Switch and Pokemon game, and Novie robot toy for this Christmas.

She added: “Don’t you worry, Santa’s had it covered.’’