Laura's leaving episode

The mother of tragic Holby City star Laura Sadler has chosen the storyline which will mark her character's exit from the show.

Laura died in June after falling from the balcony of her boyfriend George Calil's flat in west London.

The BBC continued to screen episodes of the hospital drama featuring the 22-year-old actress at the request of her family.

Scriptwriters then consulted Ms Sadler's mother, Sonja, about how best to write her character, Sandy Harper, out of the programme.

Her final scenes will be shown on September 2 and the following week's episode will explain Sandy's absence.

Programme bosses are keeping the storyline under wraps for the time being but BBC's head of drama serials Mal Young promised that her character would "find happiness".

He told the Radio Times how Ms Sadler's mother suggested the idea when he paid her a visit shortly after her death.

"I went there thinking we were all going to be in tears and it turned into an unofficial storyline conference," he said.

"I said we would find a way of explaining Laura's absence and her mum came up with an idea we all liked, and so that's what's happening."

He added: "The character finds happiness and it's very affectionately told."

Laura, who had played Sandy for three years, died after falling from the second floor balcony in Notting Hill on June 15. Her life support machine was switched off four days later.

Calil, who also played her drug dealer boyfriend in the programme, was arrested but police are taking no further action against him.

He left the show several months ago and a Holby City spokeswoman said he would not be involved in Sandy's final storyline.