Sadler died in June

Sadler, who died in June after falling from a 40ft balcony, played nurse Sandy Harper, had continued to feature in the weekly series.

But on Tuesday it was revealed her character won the lottery and secretly quit the hospital to make a new life for herself in Australia.

The storyline was devised by Sadler's mother with the show's makers.

Sandy's absence will be explained during the following episode.

Click here to tell us what you thought of Laura Sadler's final scenes after the programme

Her former hospital colleagues will be seen toasting their absent friend, "the one and only Sandy".

Sensitive exit

Following the actress' death, the BBC continued to screen episodes of the hospital drama, at her family's request.

Scriptwriters consulted Sonja Sadler to find the most fitting way to write out the much-loved character and actress from the series.

The BBC's head of drama serials, Mal Young, said: "I went there thinking we were all going to be in tears and it turned into an unofficial storyline conference.

Laura Sadler died at the home of boyfriend George Calil

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

Sadler died four days after falling from the balcony of her boyfriend George Calil's flat in Holland Park, west London.

The couple met while Calil was playing her on-screen drug addict boyfriend in Holby City, but his character is no longer in the show and TV bosses said Calil would not be involved in Sandy's exit.

A coroner's inquest into the Sadler tragedy recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Police have already confirmed Calil will not face any charges relating to the accident.