Tributes paid to choke death girl

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A girl who died after choking on her school lunch, despite efforts to save her by emergency workers, wanted to be a paramedic, her family have revealed.

Six-year-old Shannon Louise Hennessey died in hospital after the incident at Redhill Infants School in Castleford, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday.

Her parents said: "We will never know whether or not she would have become the paramedic she so wanted to be."

They thanked the school and paramedics who "did what they could" to save her.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said paramedics spent nine minutes at the school trying to help Shannon before she was taken to hospital.

Shannon was our beautiful little angel. We can't believe this has happened, we are all completely shell-shocked Statement from Shannon's parents

West Yorkshire Police said school staff had earlier tried to revive her.

In a statement, Shannon's parents Kevin and Toni and her grandparents said: "Shannon was full of life. She was always on the go - she never stopped talking and smiling and was loved by everybody who knew her.

"She loved cars and she loved dancing - it didn't matter where it came from, if she heard music she would just start to dance.

"Shannon was our beautiful little angel. We can't believe this has happened; we are all completely shell-shocked."

The family thanked everyone at the school and in the local community for "the sympathy and support they have given us" since "that terrible day".

The school was closed on Thursday as a mark of respect.