BABY Fern Twist is back home this week - now mercifully recovering from a potentially fatal strain of meningitis. And Fern has her quick-thinking parents and an observant doctor to thank for saving her life.

Now her mum is calling on all parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against the killer disease.

Fifteen-month-old Fern became ill on the morning of Boxing Day and her worried parents, Charlotte Twist and Barry Briers, took her straight to the on-call doctor at Hall Street Medical Centre.

Charlotte, who lives in Cartmel Avenue, Windlehurst, with Barry and the couple's two other children, eight-year-old Lewis and six-year-old Rowan, told the Star: "Fern is such a lively baby and she had been her usual self throughout Christmas Day. But as soon as she woke up the next day, I could tell she wasn't very well.

"She was very lethargic, she had a high temperature and her arms and legs were starting to turn blue. As soon as the doctor saw her, he said it looked like she might have meningitis and he told us to get her to Whiston Hospital as quickly as possible."

By the time they arrived, the hospital had been alerted by the doctor and Fern was immediately hooked on to an intravenous drip and given antibiotics while the doctors carried out tests. They later confirmed that Fern was suffering from the deadly Meningitis C septicaemia strain.

Charlotte continued: "Both Barry and myself were terrified for Fern because she was in a bad way by the time we got her to the hospital. Her eyes had rolled back and she was covered in a purple rash. We thought we were going to lose her.

"But thankfully, she responded very well to the antibiotics and within eight hours, she had started to come round.

" The doctors said her quick recovery was down to us realising she was ill straight away and making sure she got to hospital but if she had become ill overnight, we might not have realised until it was too late.

"The worst thing is that Fern had not been vaccinated against meningitis C because I had read reports that it might not be safe."

Fern is making a speedy recovery and Charlotte added: "I would like to thank Dr Smith at Hall Street and all the staff at Ward E2 in Whiston for their care of Fern. Now I want to tell other parents who have decided not to let their children have the vaccination, to please re-think as it could save their child's life. We have been through hell and back with Fern and I would hate anyone else to suffer our ordeal."

Dr Basil Wiratunga, a consultant in Communicable Diseases at St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority, said: "This child was extremely lucky and the outcome could have been much worse had her parents not acted as quickly as they did.

"We cannot stress enough, the importance of the vaccination against the Meningitis C strain for children and cases of the disease have drastically reduced since it was introduced.

"Anyone whose children have not yet been immunised should contact their G.P. immediately.