SHE endured the trauma of seeing her baby son die of deadly meningitis.

Now mum Katy Mann has vowed to do all she can to ensure no other family has to go through such an ordeal.

Katy, 31, who grew up in Shepley, thought she knew all the symptoms of meningitis, but the only one displayed by 15-week-old Charlie was a temperature.

Within days he was dead, despite the “brilliant” efforts of medical staff at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Katy and husband Chris had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off the ventilator which was helping their son breathe, after being told the meningitis had spread throughout his brain and there was no hope.

The family have now embarked on a major fundraising and awareness drive, to raise cash for meningitis research and to alert others to the risk.

One such event is a fundraising concert and auction at Shepley Cricket Club next month, which is already a £3,000 sell-out.

Katy’s dad Ian Watkinson is club secretary and he has helped arrange the event.

Katy said: “I had to cradle Charlie in my arms as the life-support machine was switched off.

“Chris and I don’t want other families to suffer in the same way.

“We knew a little bit about meningitis and knew to look out for rashes and other symptoms when he was unwell.

“But Charlie did not have a rash and neither our GP nor the local hospital could find any trace of the disease.

“It was only when they did a lumbar puncture that they found the truth and by the time the symptoms showed, it was too late.”

Katy, who studied at Shelley College, has been married five years and has another son James, three.

She and Chris live near Crewe and were delighted when Charlie was born.

“He was a big, healthy baby but on October 17, I noticed he had a temperature.

“It got worse and we took him to the doctor but there were no other symptoms. It was on October 22 that it got bad and we took him to the local hospital where they did tests. Immediately they contacted the team at Alder Hey and they collected him the following day.

“He was in intensive care and they did tests.We were taken into a room to sit by ourselves and take in all the information we’d been given.

“They showed us the scans and every part of his brain was affected.

“Needless to say we were devastated. It was the worst outcome but we still didn’t know exactly what it meant for Charlie on a day to day basis. We knew it was very severe brain damage but we didn’t know if there was anything he would be able to do.

“Charlie's last day with us, on October 28, was very emotional. Thanks to the staff at Alder Hey we were able to do everything the way we wanted. We had professional photos done by a charity called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and the hospital arranged hand and footprints to be done.

“Everyone who wanted to had the chance to come and say goodbye properly. His passing was very peaceful and he died in our arms.

“It was the best we could ask for in such horrible circumstances.”

Katy added: “Charlie had the best possible care – we cannot thank the hospital staff enough for what they did for Charlie and for his family.

“They were brilliant, but there was nothing that could save him.”

Charlie’s fate has already touched the hearts of thousands of people around the world.

Katy has bravely put together her thoughts and memories on a blog, along with advice on meningitis, and thousands have viewed it.

“I want to let as many people as possible know about this disease, to raise awareness and to make sure no-one else goes through what we have done.

“We are also raising funds to help research and have set up Charlie’s Fund to help.”

Mr Watkinson said: “The event at the cricket club is already sold out but people can support our auction through the club website.

“Katy and the rest of us are determined to help make something good come out of all this.”

Katy’s blog can be found at: http://charliecheekychops.blogspot.com