NEW research has revealed that most UK parents are unaware meningitis vaccines do not fully protect against all types of the disease.

Leading UK charity Meningitis Trust is now calling for parents to remain vigilant to signs and symptoms to guard children from the disease.

New research shows that more than two thirds of parents in the UK are unaware that current vaccinations do not protect their children from all forms of meningitis.

The data also shows that only one in five UK parents know that children under 12 months are at greatest risk of contracting this killer disease.

Bacterial meningitis and septicaemia affect around 3,400 people in the UK each year, killing more children under the age of five than any other infectious disease.

There is currently no vaccine to protect against meningococcal serogroup B which causes the majority of meningitis cases and deaths.