A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl died of meningitis -- just 10 hours after a doctor told her parents she needed to rest at home.

Morgan Leyland was rushed to hospital hours after seeing the doctor and died in her parents' arms after telling them: "I love you all the world."

Her parents say the tragedy happened after Morgan had developed a rash and diarrhoea, a high temperature, cold hands and feet, and was limp.

Morgan's parents say that an emergency doctor at Landmark House medical centre, on Chorley Old Road, told them that she had an infection, but it was not a serious condition.

Rob and Sharon Leyland say the doctor said she needed rest and prescribed some medicine and warned them that Morgan's condition would worsen, but they had nothing to fear.

Five hours after the doctor saw her, Morgan's condition worsened. Lying in her parent's bed, she began moaning and crying and wanted to go to the toilet.

While she was in the bathroom, Sharon, aged 33, noticed her daughter's rash had turned from red to brown. Concerned, both Sharon, aged 33, and her 35-year-old plumber husband, of Crawford Avenue, Darcy Lever, took her by car to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Pendlebury.

Within seconds of being seen by a nurse, Morgan was seen by a consultant, a surgeon and four other medical staff. She was diagnosed as having meningococcal septicaemia, a deadly strain of the bug.

They took a blood sample and began immediate treatment. Morgan was taken to intensive care and given morphine.

Her blood pressure dropped and her condition deteriorated, however, and her parents had to face the agonising decision of switching off her life support machine.

Sharon first noticed there was a problem with Morgan last Wednesday shortly after she picked her up from the Daisy Chains Nursery on Bury New Road, Bolton, at 3.30pm.

They both went to a supermarket and it was then Sharon noticed something was wrong. She telephoned her husband at 4.30pm and then called the emergency doctor line.

Sharon was told Morgan needed to be seen immediately and the family were at Landmark House by 5.20pm.

They say they were told her condition was not life-threatening and at 6.15pm, Morgan went home and slept until 10pm. She was taken to her parents' bed, but awoke an hour later, with the meningitis having taken hold.

Rob said: "The doctor at Pendlebury asked us if we were religious and then told us that they were going to turn off her life-support machine.

"It's still so hard to take in. Nothing can describe what we are going through." The funeral will take place at Overdale on Wednesday.

Morgan's immediate family have been given precautionary jabs against the strain of meningitis.

Marlene Atherton, general manager of Landmark House, said: "We are very sorry to hear about the death of Morgan. Until we have spoken to the doctor who saw Morgan, we can't make any further comment."

Bolton Primary Care Trust, which controls all health matters in the town, said that they would be reviewing "all the circumstances" involved in the tragic death of Morgan.

A spokesman said: "Our sympathies go out to the family who have lost a child in these tragic circumstances.

"We have ensured that precautionary antibiotics have been given to any immediate contacts of this little girl, who might potentially be at risk, and advice and information has been provided to the staff and parents at the nursery she attended."