The youngster was found in the pond moments after a family meal

The “most tragic” death of a two-year-old Doncaster girl who drowned in her garden pond on Christmas Day after going missing for “a matter of minutes” has been ruled accidental.

Isobel Abigail Maxwell was found in the water at her home on December 25 last year.

The youngster had been celebrating the day with her extended family at her parents’ house when she got into the garden and fell in the pond, an inquest at Doncaster Coroner’s Court heard.

Her parents, Aaron Maxwell and Tamara Wallace, had attempted CPR before she was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary and sadly pronounced dead.

Writing on Facebook after the death of her daughter, Mrs Wallace thanked hundreds of people who contributed to an online fundraiser to create a memorial fairy garden, with more than £36,000 raised.

She wrote: "Everyone who knows Isobel and us knows how gifted she was, and that she lived more in her two years than some children did in a life time.

"The generosity has been outstanding, we are very much keeping each other close and being suffocated with love, which is absolutely what we need."

The toddler's aunt, Abigail Maxwell, who set up the fundraiser, said Isobel had been playing with her daughter in the house and disappeared for "a moment", falling in the pond, which had a temporary fence around it.

She said: "We couldn't find her for a moment and, in that moment, she's gone in the garden and fell in the pond."

Ms Maxwell said the pond "was not there through choice but due to a house move, their forever home which they were renovating".

She added: "As you can imagine, this is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to parents, to lose their baby.

"She was so happy, so loved and they were the best parents who gave her the most wonderful life."

Coroner Louise Slater recorded a conclusion of accidental death.