THREE families living within a short distance of each other are facing the ultimate heartbreak this Christmas with the deaths of their young children.

The tragedies - all unrelated - involve families living on the Isle of Sheppey.

During the past few days:

*A baby with a congenital heart defect died after a traumatic 15-week battle for life.

* A four-year-old boy with severe health problems died in his first term at primary school.

* A 15-day-old baby was taken to hospital by air ambulance after being found unconscious, but could not be saved.

One couple have spoken of the heartbreaking death of their 15-week-old baby. Lori and Richard Cartwright, of The Crescent, Halfway, near Sheerness, knew the child they expected had devastating heart problems before he was born.

Despite strenuous efforts by health professionals over many weeks he finally died. Lori said: "There was nothing more they could do and, in the end, he fell asleep in our arms."

The boy of four who died was Billy Chubb who had just taken part in his first school Nativity play.

His mother Louise said: "Billy was so excited about being a shepherd."

Billy was born at Medway Maritime Hospital and it was only when he was six months old that it was discovered he had severe haemophilia.

As well as his blood clotting disease, Billy also found walking difficult, could not run and had recently had an MRI scan.

On Friday, December 8, Billy became unwell and was taken to hospital.

His father Travis said: "Two doctors told us they were puzzled because they could not find anything medically wrong with him."

Billy went home to Scotchmen Close, Halfway, but on Thursday returned to the hospital. Within two hours of their arrival, with his parents at his side, Billy, had died.

The 15-day-old baby boy who died came from Sheerness and was pronounced dead on arrival at Maidstone Hospital on Sunday.

Police stressed they were not treating the death as suspicious and were awaiting the results of a post mortem examination.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK'S SHEERNESS TIMES GUARDIAN