THE body of a Blackburn mother who died of a rare strain of meningitis has been flown home to Pakistan.

Kausar Ali, 29, died of meningitis W135 just days after returning from the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Mrs Ali helped to run a family grocery store, M Zaman, in Devonport Road, Blackburn, with her husband Zufliquar and leaves two children Zara-Jabeen, seven and six-month-old Zireen.

She is one of three Asian people in the UK to have died from meningitis W135 -- which usually affects between 30 and 50 people a year in the UK.

The Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Coroner, Michael Singleton, was informed of the death, but there will be no inquest as the death was from natural causes.

A second Blackburn woman, who is in her 50s, is also receiving treatment for meningitis W135 after returning from the Hajj. A funeral service was held for Mrs Ali at the Chester Street mosque in Blackburn last week.

One of her nephews said today that her body had been flown back to Pakistan.

Coun Hussain Akhtar said: "I know the family well and they are a very large, respectable family. This is very sad."

Simon Gregor, spokesman for the Public Health Laboratory Service, confirmed that there had been nine cases of meningitis W135 and three deaths in the UK All the cases were linked to people returning from the Hajj pilgrimage.

East Lancashire Muslims who have returned from the Hajj have been urged to be on the lookout for meningitis symptoms.

Thousands of people travelled to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage last month and the demand for airline tickets was so great that extra flights were laid on at Manchester Airport.

All Muslims are expected to make the pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina at least once in their lives. The Hajj to Mecca -- the birthplace of Islam -- brings together Muslims of all races for one of the biggest spiritual festivals.

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