BOLTON Muslims making pilgrimages to Mecca for the Hajj Festival are being warned of the dangers of not being protected against meningitis.

Members of the town's Muslim community travelling to the religious event early next month are being told to protect themselves against four strains of bacterial meningitis by getting vaccinated.

Bolton NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) is supporting a national campaign urging travellers to get their jabs to protect themselves and their family and friends from the threat of meningococcal infection.

One member of the town's Muslim community died after contracting a deadly strain at the festival in Saudi Arabia.

Bolton health professionals said that people making the pilgrimage must have a single vaccination, which protects them against four strains of bacterial meningitis.

The Saudi Government requires visitors to have a valid certificate of vaccination against the infection before they are issued with a visa.

Graham Munslow, a communicable disease nurse in Bolton, said: "The Primary Care Trust is pleased to be working closely with the Muslim community to get thesescampaign messages across. Making a pilgrimage to Mecca must be an amazing experience.

"We wouldn't want any of our community to have this experience ruined because of not taking up the offer of a single vaccination, which protects against four strains of the infection."

He added: "Although the risk of infection is small, for those affected it can have serious consequences."

One strain of meningitis, known as W135, has affected travellers to the Hajj in the last two years.

Last year it killed 10 people from the UK.

Travellers will need to be inoculated at least two weeks before leaving for Saudi Arabia in order for the vaccine to be effective.

Anyone who would like further advice about the vaccination should talk to their GP or phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

NHS Direct can provide interpreters in Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Arabic, Turkish and Somali.

Further health advice for travellers can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/travel advice/hajj.htm