US child star Gary Coleman has died after suffering a brain haemorrhage in a fall earlier this week.

Coleman, 42, had been in intensive care at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center since Thursday.

He was surrounded by family and close friends when the decision to turn off his life support machine was taken tonight.

It was the third time the 4ft 8in actor had been hospitalised this year, after suffering seizures in January and February.

The actor, whose growth was stunted by a congenital kidney defect, has also had two kidney transplants.