But George’s injury meant the bug could strike within hours, resulting in throbbing headaches, violent vomiting and delirium.

Joy said that George now wore an SOS bracelet and carried a card which outlined his condition and would also take penicillin as a precaution.

But she wanted to raise awareness among students generally of meningitis.

“At this time of year students are coming together for freshers’ week and meningitis can spread in this herding environment,” she said.

“It’s an ugly, ugly disease and people need to be aware.

“It can strike so quickly that hospital treatment is vital straight away.”

Joy said she wanted vaccination made available for all children as soon as the vaccine was officially licensed.

The Meningitis Research Foundation says that meningitis and septicaemia affect around 3,600 people in the UK and Ireland every year.

They are deadly diseases that can strike anyone without warning, killing one in 10, and leaving a quarter of survivors with life altering after-effects ranging from deafness and brain damage to loss of limbs.

Symptoms of meningitis include: severe headache, vomiting, fever, a rash anywhere on the body, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, sleepiness, confusion and seizures.