SHE saw her baby son cheat death.

Now an Outlane mum is campaigning for a new meningitis vaccine to be introduced for children across Britain.

Joanne McDade has written to Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney calling on him to push for a Men B vaccine to be included in the childhood immunisation programme.

She is backing the campaign after her son Alex battled for life when he contracted the deadly disease.

Meningococcal Group B (Men B) is the most common of the three types of meningitis, accounting for half of all cases in Britain. Although a vaccine has been developed, it has not yet been introduced.

Joanne and husband Adrian, a company director, are supporting the Meningitis Research Foundation’s (MRF) campaign Counting the Cost of Meningitis, which highlights the lifelong financial costs of surviving meningitis and septicaemia.

It is calls on the Government to introduce the new Men B vaccine as soon as possible.

The couple, of Round Ings Road, have experienced first hand the devastating effects of meningitis. Their son Alex contracted the deadly disease just three days before his first birthday in 2002.

Alex was critically ill and given only a 50/50 chance of survival. His parents spent an agonising three weeks as Alex fought for his life in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. During that time his body shut down and he needed two lumbar punctures.

Joanne said: “It was touch and go with Alex, it was horrendous.

“We are so very, very, lucky that we caught it in time and he has made an absolutely amazing recovery.”