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by Ellie Hooper |

Aspiring model Sophie Jones was diagnosed with the disease in November, and lost her battle on Saturday morning.

Sophie had been suffering with severe stomach pains for months, which doctors attributed to Crohn's disease - an inflammatory bowel condition.

But Sophie, who was described by her sister Steph as 'the life and soul of everything' was denied a smear test to see if she had cervical cancer because she was deemed too young to have the disease.

In November she was finally admitted to hospital when her condition worsened, and doctors discovered the cancer.

Unfortunately by this stage, the cancer had already spread to other parts of her body.

Read the list of cervical cancer symptoms below, which includes pain in the pelvis and lower abdomen

Steph said of her sister: 'She was always a very calming influence on everyone around her, and she loved being with her friends.'

She added: 'This should never, ever have happened to her.'

'Sophie said she would fight it all the way to the end. She was still in high spirits even on the morning she died.'

The family had held several fundraising events in the hope they could take Sophie on holiday before she died. Unfortunately, they were not able to do this before she passed away.

Sophie was one of the youngest victims of the disease, with no one under the age of 20 dying from it between 2009 and 2011.

In total about 3,400 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and although deaths from the disease have fallen in the last 25 years - mainly due to the screening programme that can detect pre-cancerous cells so cancer can be prevented before it actually develops.

Reality TV star Jade Goody had a well documented battle with the disease, which she eventually lost at the age of 27. Her case shocked the country due to her young age - though the star admitted she had ignored doctor's advice to return and be treated for some abnormal cells on her cervix.

After her death, there was a spike in the number of young girls signing up for smear tests.

Cervical cancer: The symptoms

Abnormal vaginal bleeding - between periods or after sex

Smelly vaginal discharge

Pain during sex

Vaginal bleeding after the menopause

Pain in your pelvis, lower abdomen or lower back