MPs discussed whether to extend the meningitis B vaccination to all children today.

It followed the death of Maidstone toddler Faye Burdett on Valentine's Day, 12 days after contracting the deadly infection.

A petition for the jab to be rolled out to all children under 11 on the NHS became the most signed in Parliamentary history, following the tragedy.

It closed with 823,341 signatures, prompting a debate to be called.

In preparation for today's session, a panel of MPs from the petitions committee heard from two-year-old Faye's parents, who said they felt staff at the hospital which examined her were dismissive of their concerns.

Following the hearing they said: "What we would like to see as a result of this petition, is for at least children aged up to 5 to be vaccinated.

"As her parents we had to guess, and guessing is not good enough with meningitis. We need to protect our children, not just the 30 or so like Faye that die each year, but the 400 plus that are maimed for life; those that will battle as a result of having meningitis."

Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, will be speaking for the Burdetts in Parliament and will be urging the government to do more to protect children from the disease.

She told the Kent Messenger: "I've found few conversations more heart-breaking than my first meeting with Neil and Jennifer Burdett. Their two-year-old daughter Faye died of Meningitis B in February, after an 11-day battle with the disease.

"I met them just a week after her death, at their home in Maidstone. Faye’s toys were still piled in the corner and photos of her covered the walls.

"But Neil and Jennifer were determined to make something good come out of their loss. After they published a picture of Faye gravely ill in hospital, a petition to give more children the Meningitis B vaccine received over 800,000 signatures, the biggest response in parliamentary history.

"The Burdetts didn’t expect this kind of reaction, they just wanted to prevent other families suffering as they have."