AN Accrington woman has taken on a vital role to fight meningitis, which nearly killed her fiance.

Summer Whittaker, 22, spent nearly two years watching her partner Jacob Gray battle the virus which led to him having both legs amputated. Now she wants to put their traumatic experience to good use and has become a young ambassador for the charity Meningitis Now.

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The charity helped them both rebuild their life.

The couple got engaged this summer but have not set a wedding date yet.

Ms Whittaker said: “People see it as a love story but this is not a story — it is our life.

“Jacob and I had been together one year before he contracted meningitis.

“As soon as I met him I knew he was something special.

“We reached the point where we were talking about the future, discussing our dream wedding, house and children, but it all faded when the doctor told me he could die.

“I felt my heart break when Jacob told me to leave him and live my life but I could not see my future without him. I knew it would be a difficult journey but meningitis gave us a strength that made our relationship, and us, indestructible.”

Mr Gray was given a 10 per cent chance of survival after contracting meningococcal septicaemia in 2013.

As a young ambassador, Ms Whittaker, who lives in Church and works as a graphic designer, will fundraise, campaign, raise awareness and provide support to people in East Lancashire.

She said: “I am honoured to join the team.

“Jacob spent 699 days in hospital and we both went through some of our darkest times — but the support from Meningitis Now pulled us through.”

She said the charity has been a great support, paying for her transport to and from hospital and helping her find a counsellor as she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Ms Whittaker said: “I can never repay Meningitis Now for being there for Jacob when I felt so weak.”