A 26-year-old animal trainer, who worked on the Harry Potter films at Leavesden Studios, has died from swine flu.

Caroline Lois Benoist died over the Christmas weekend, days after being sent home from her job at the film studios, after complaining of feeling unwell.

Her final post on her Facebook page, on December 17, reads: “Loving being back home even if I do feel like death warmed up!”

Just over a week later, the animal lover who lived in Hemel Hempstead with her French boyfriend Guillaume Grange, had died.

Doctors are reported to have said that “fit and healthy” Miss Benoist was a victim of swine flu.

Originally from Guernsey, for the past seven years Miss Benoist had worked for Birds and Animals UK, a company which provides trained animals for films, commercials and television.

Mr Grange is reported to have said: “She was sent home from work feeling unwell. I am finding it all very difficult.

“She was a lovely, fit healthy girl, she had no health problems, there was nothing wrong with her.”

According to figures released by the Health Protection Agency flu killed 39 people between October and December 2010.

Of those 36 people died of swine flu and all except one were aged under 65.