In the UK, the question of assisted suicide or refusing medical treatment is extremely divisive and controversial; euthanasia is illegal in Britain, as is the act of helping a terminally-ill person to kill themselves.

However, a 13-year-old English girl has won the right to refuse medical treatment this week after a hospital dropped a legal bid to force her to have a heart transplant.

Hannah Jones, who has spent eight years in and out of hospital battling leukaemia and heart problems, told child protection officers she wanted to die with dignity rather than face the operation and have to take constant medication afterwards.

Despite initial efforts by her local health authority to remove Hannah from her family and force her to undergo the transplant, legal and medical experts said that a child of her age was able to make an informed decision to refuse treatment.

Hannah’s decision to stop treatment and spend the rest of her life at home with her family was made entirely by herself, according to her father, who spoke of his admiration for her.

"Hannah made that decision consciously on her own, a bit like a grown up, even though she was only 12 at the time, and she has maintained that decision," said Andrew Jones.

The headmaster of Hannah’s school described her as intelligent and capable of making her own decisions.

"Her presence is a source of inspiration to us all through the courage and dignity that she displays," he said.