A YOUNG meningitis survivor from Almondsbury has visited laboratories in Bristol where scientists are working round the clock to find a vaccine.

Ashlee Downes was just three months old when she was struck down by the most deadly form of the brain bug pneumococcal meningitis at Christmas in 2008.

Doctors said had it not been for mum Rachael's quick thinking then Ashlee may not have received treatment in time.

Initially Rachael thought Ashlee was teething but alarm bells rang when she turned blue and stopped breathing for a while.

Rachael, 32, said: "Ashlee had been ill for a while, not wanting to be picked up and crying when she was. She was very miserable, which wasn't like her. When she stopped breathing for a brief amount of time I took her to Frenchay.

"They said she would be ok and to be alert if it happened again. Then on Christmas day, she was very quiet and had a droning cry, almost like she couldn't be bothered to cry.

"A few days later she looked quite waxy and wouldn't open her eyes or move. She was really floppy and hadn't wanted a feed for 36 hours. I called Frendoc and they advised me to go straight to the children's hospital."

By the time they arrived Ashlee's breathing was really fast and her temperature had rocketed to 39 degrees.

The mum-of-four said: "At this point I had no idea what was wrong with her. It was heartbreaking seeing her wired up to heart monitors.

"When the doctor said he suspected meningitis I was so upset."

However, after 10 days in hospital the brave little tot was allowed home and made a full recovery.

Last week Ashlee, now 16 months old, along with mum Rachael visited the £200,000 project, which Meningitis UK is funding, at the University of Bristol to find a vaccine for Meningitis B.

The mum and daughter were also joined by the charity’s patron, former Eastenders star Joe Swash, who has been appearing in the Bristol Hippodrome's pantomime Cinderella.

The actor was himself struck down by meningoencephalitis, a rare form of viral meningitis, in 2005. It left him struggling with his co-ordination and speech, but he has since recovered.

He said: "The work that's going on here is brilliant. It affects so many people and the work to find a future vaccine to prevent meningitis is such a well deserving cause."

For more information visit www.meningitisUK.org