PARENTS of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children, teenagers and young adults across the Wellington and Wiveliscombe area are being urged to have them treated with an MMR vaccination to prevent a potentially fatal measles attack.

Health officials worried an epidemic on the scale of that in Swansea could take hold anywhere have launched a catch-up programme to identify local at-risk 10-16 year olds through GPs to encourage uptake of the vaccination.

Immunology experts say at least 95% of children must be protected to keep the disease at bay.

At Wellington's Luson surgery, practice manager Martin Ellacott said take up of the MMR vaccination had been at around 90% over the last ten years.

Mr Ellacott added: "We've had a few enquiries in the wake of Swansea, but there are still about 100 patients on our list who haven't taken up the vaccination. We've looked at the numbers to identify those patients, and we will be in a position to call those patients in for special vaccination clinics in the near future."