NORTHGATE High School is in mourning today after the death of a talented young pupil left her teachers and classmates devastated.Victoria Noble, a year eight pupil was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on Thursday after falling ill earlier in the week, but doctors were unable to save her and she died that evening.

NORTHGATE High School is in mourning today after the death of a talented young pupil left her teachers and classmates devastated.

Victoria Noble, a year eight pupil was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge on Thursday after falling ill earlier in the week, but doctors were unable to save her and she died that evening.

Suffolk County Council education bosses said Victoria had not contracted meningitis or any other communicable disease. It is believed she had suffered from a congenital blood disorder.

School headteacher Neil Watts learned of her death after being contacted by a friend of the Noble family on Friday.

He stressed the details surrounding Victoria's death were a private matter for her family, but he was keen to pay tribute to his former pupil.

Mr Watts said: "We regard this as a terrible tragedy. She was such a very happy girl and a very good friend to her classmates.

"She will be greatly missed by all her friends and by the staff at Northgate. We will always remember her smiling face."

He added Victoria's end of year report for her first year at Northgate High School had described her as a kind and patient girl who was "unfailingly polite" and always pleasant and helpful to her peers.

The report read: "Victoria works hard and is very well-behaved. She takes an active part in school life, including most recently playing clarinet in the school wind band at the Corn Exchange carol concert."

Mr Watts said many of Victoria's close friends had already been informed of her death, along with her form teacher and head of year. He added care would be taken in helping her classmates come to terms with their loss.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council's education department said: "This was not a case of meningitis or indeed any communicable disease. It is very much a private matter.

"The girl in question was taken ill earlier this week and transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital by Thursday, where she died on Thursday evening. This is clearly a great tragedy for her family."