The family of ten-year-old Jemima Prees, who died in a skiiing accident on Monday in Austria, have paid a heartfelt tribute to their "special girl".

Devizes solictor Tim Press and GP wife Karen, who live in Colerne, paid tribute to their daughter's capacity to touch people with love.

She died after an accident at the Austrian resort of Mayrhofen, where the family were enjoying a half-term break.

The Prees family said: "Jemima was a very very special girl. She lived every day as if there might be no tomorrow.

"She had a capacity to touch people with love in a way that is rarely seen. It was a privilege to know her for nearly eleven years.

"She was quirky, intelligent, fearless, but most of all, always warm and amusing. Everyone loved her. We were so lucky to have shared so much time with her."

They said skiiing was one of her favourite things to do and praised her elder brother Barnaby, a student at university, who fought to save her.

They said: "She died in a beautiful place doing something she loved, with some of her favourite people. She was skiing within her ability and taking it very carefully, within yards of us. No one will know why she suddenly went straight down the piste or why she didn't turn or fall.

"After a hundred yards, she hit trees at a high speed. She died instantly at the scene from a major brain injury but her brother's heroic 40 minutes of resuscitation enabled her organs to be donated to save or transform four people's lives.

"We are very proud of him, as we were proud of her."