One of Ireland's top models has died in hospital just one week after her 24th birthday.

Katy French was taken ill at her house in the early hours of Sunday morning and was taken to Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.

She is thought to have suffered from heart failure and remained in a coma until she died on Thursday afternoon.

Last week French, who has become one of Ireland's most famous models, celebrated turning 24 in Dublin.

She recently admitted that she used to take cocaine and warned young people against using the drug.

Irish police are launching an investigation into her death but they have not commented on there being a possible drugs link until a postmortem examination has been carried out.

French's family released a statement saying that she had died with her mother, father and sister present and thanked the hospital staff for their work.