A Maidstone mum who lost her baby daughter to meningitis B says she lives in fear that her son will get the disease, after he missed out on the immunisation programme by a year.

Now she is urging people to join a campaign to get the jab rolled out to all children under 11.

A petition on the subject, due to be debated by MPs in the coming weeks, became the most signed in Parliamentary history following the tragic death of Maidstone two-year-old Faye Burdett, who died from the disease on Valentine's Day.

Demi-Lee Percy had just celebrated Christmas and her first birthday when she died, in December 2008. Parents Mel Foster and Steve Percy noticed she had a temperature, and as they put her to bed noticed tiny red spots on her face and body.

Miss Foster grabbed a glass straight away and they didn’t disappear. By the time the paramedics arrived she was covered head-to-toe in a rash.

She died at Maidstone Hospital just hours later.

The 31-year-old said: “Seeing Faye’s story was really hard, it made me really upset and emotional.

“The jab wasn’t around for Demi-Lee. The worst part about this is that there is now something to prevent it. I think it is disgusting it is not available. You can’t put a price on a child’s life.”

But while the jab was not rolled out until last year, the couple’s one-year-old son, Archie, has missed out because he was born before July 2015.

It is available privately but the high cost and low availability has prevented many parents from accessing it.

Miss Foster said: “When the jab became available we were so pleased but now we have a son and to find out he wasn’t eligible was heart-breaking.

"It is very scary living with that fear. I’m scared to let him go to play schemes or anywhere where there could be lots of germs and I won’t let him go to soft play areas because that is where we think Demi-Lee picked up the disease.

“I just wish I could relax with him and let him have his childhood.
“The support for the campaign is overwhelming. I check the petition every single day. It’s just sad it has taken this long.”