Lexi Branson died despite the desperate attempts of her mother Jodie Hudson to halt the attack at their flat in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, family friends said.

In a statement, Ms Hudson and Lexi’s grandmother Kerry Hudson said: “There’s been a tragedy in the family. Lexi was a bubbly, bright little girl. She fought for her life from the moment she was born as she was born 3 months prematurely. She’s been taken from us so tragically.

“She will be sadly missed, she will be our shining star in the sky and she we will never be forgotten.”