THE mother of an autistic child has ignored Government advice to have her baby daughter immunised with the triple vaccine mumps, measles and rubella (MMR).

The Bolton mum-of-two was among 100 parents who travelled to a private clinic in Liverpool at the weekend to pay privately for an NHS-restricted single rubella injection.

Stephanie Sherratt has flouted advice from health experts in the belief that her 13-month-old daughter, Anna, may have a genetic tendency to develop autism.

A report commissioned by the Government has concluded that the possibility of MMR vaccination causing autism in susceptible children cannot be ruled out.

Mrs Sherratt said: "If anything happened to Anna, I would not be able to forgive myself."

Her son Michael, aged five, developed autism when he was just a baby.

Mrs Sherratt says his condition was beginning to affect his behaviour before he had the MMR vaccination at 13 months old and she cannot prove that the triple jab made his condition worse.

But despite listening to the assurances of the World Health Organisation and local experts such as Dr Robert Aston, Bolton's communicable diseases consultant, she continues to worry that the MMR vaccine may harm her second child.

Private health firm Direct Health 2000 held a one-day outreach clinic for the first time to make the single vaccine available to North-west parents. A vaccine costs £80.

The clinic, which will return to the North-west in the New Year, says it has received hundreds of calls in the last couple of months from worried parents wanting the single vaccine. Kathryn Durnford, spokesman for Direct Health 2000, said the Government had tried to block the firm's moves.

Ms Durnford said: "Parents' concerns are still very high. Department of Health officials and a £3 million advertising campaign has not convinced them that the triple vaccine is safe.

"With autism reaching epidemic levels in the UK, it's hardly surprising that parents are choosing the single vaccines rather than the triple MMR vaccination."

However, parents opting for the single injections are "a tiny minority", with Bolton having a 98 per cent take up for the MMR jab, according to Dr Aston.

He expressed his concerns at the clinic saying: "Anti-vaccine campaigners are undermining confidence in the MMR vaccination which is the best and safest way of protecting our children."

Dr Aston admits it is a "major problem" in dealing with anxiety caused by recent MMR scares which link the jab to autism and other childhood conditions.

He said: "I am only so very sorry that many people are being misled and caused anxiety by media reports, and that the inevitable consequence is the return of outbreaks of these childhood diseases.

"In spite of the news media's scaremongering -- which I very much resent because it causes so much quite unnecessary anxiety to caring, loving parents -- 98 per cent of parents immunise their children.

"Parents understand how important it is to prevent infectious diseases and immunisation is overwhelmingly the normal and best thing for parents to have done for their children."

Mrs Sherratt, of Newbrook Road, Over Hulton, was left devastated when Michael was diagnosed with autism.

She said: "There should be parental choice. I'm no longer interested if they prove a link or not. I can't change Michael and I can't prove that MMR made Michael's condition worse.

"But I can decide if my daughter is to have the MMR and I have decided that she is not, because of her genetic make up."

Anti-vaccine campaigners JABS said that it was "a shame" that parents were forced to travel and pay to see doctors they did not know so they could have the injection which is frowned upon by health authorities.