A French woman suffering from an agonising and disfiguring form of cancer has appealed to President Nicholas Sarkozy for the right to die. It comes after a court rejected Chantal Sebire's plea for euthanasia, saying current legislation does not allow doctors to prescribe lethal drugs.

The 52-year-old has a rare type of malignant tumour in her nasal cavity. It has left her blind and deprived her of other senses. She also suffers from bouts of intense pain.

Under a law introduced in 2005 families can ask for life-support machines to be turned off to allow a terminally-ill patient to die. But it does not give doctors the right to take direct action to end a patient's life.

President Sarkozy's office has indicated there will be no change to the legislation to permit euthanasia.

The former teacher has hinted she may try to get the required drugs from abroad.