A 15-year-old boy was today in Southend Hospital with meningitis.

The boy, a pupil at St Thomas More High School for Boys in Westcliff, is said to be recovering well.

He fell ill on Saturday, after complaining of feeling unwell in school last Friday.

His mother used a checklist of symptoms which had been sent home with every pupil at the end of last year. She took him straight to the emergency doctor.

He is thought to be suffering from the virulent C strain of the disease - the same form that is sweeping through Pontypridd in south Wales.

Last week, Pitsea schoolboy Mitchell Kemp, a pupil at Appleton School, Benfleet, died after contracting the same strain.

Frank Keenan, head teacher at the Westcliff school, said: "All of our parents had an information leaflet about meningitis, and the boy's mother actually based her decision to take him to the doctor on our leaflet. She has told me she was very pleased that she had it from the school.

"I don't want to put too fine a point on it, but this list possibly stopped things getting worse."

Mr Keenan said a member of his staff had visited the boy yesterday and he is recovering well.

He added: "Our lad is going to be all right. I am very pleased at how things have worked out."

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