A FORMER England Rugby player has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of a potentially fatal disease.

Matt Dawson MBE has teamed up with GSK to launch "Tackle Meningitis" in the hopes helping people understand the symptoms, signs and strains.

Backed by UK charities Meningitis Research Foundation and Meningitis Now, the campaign will serve as a crucial source of information following several high profile cases involving Meningitis B.

This strain of the disease can be fatal in babies but the number of cases has dropped following the introduction of the vaccine last September for children under one.

However calls to increase the age limit after two-year-old Faye Burdett died following an 11 day battle have proven unsuccessful.

The campaign hopes that by raising awareness of the symptoms, tragedies like that of Faye can be prevented.

Matt Dawson has first-hand experience of meningitis after his two-year old son, Sami, contracted meningitis in February and remained critically ill on a life-support machine for two weeks afterwards.

Sami subsequently recovered and now Matt wants parents and families to receive the knowledge and education that he feels he lacked.

So what are the symptoms?

Symptoms for children include: - A high fever with cold hands and feet

- Vomiting and refusal to feed

- Being agitated and not wanting to be picked up

- Becoming drowsy, floppy and unresponsive

- Grunting or breathing rapidly

- An unusual high-pitched or moaning cry

- A tense, bulging soft spot on their head

- A stiff neck and dislike of bright lights

- Convulsions or seizures

- A red rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it is another sign, although not everybody develops this.

In older children, adults and teenagers, the symptoms can also include:

- Confusion and irritability and severe muscle pain

- Most people with viral meningitis have flu-like symptoms, and in more severe cases may experience neck stiffness, muscle or joint pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea and sensitivity to light.