More than 13,000 children not vaccinated for school

Parents and carers were urged to contact their GP practice directly to book vaccinations

Parents and carers were urged to make sure their children were fully vaccinated before starting school in September.

NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough estimated that about 5,000 children in the area would start primary school without their MMR vaccination, and more than 8,000 without their pre-school booster.

The MMR jab protects against measles, mumps and rubella, which can spread easily and lead to problems like meningitis, blindness and hearing loss. The 4-in-1 booster protects against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough.

Cali Makewell, of the NHS, said it was "inevitable" for children to catch illnesses at school, but vaccinations protected them from more serious ones.

Ms Makewell, the integrated vaccination service lead, added: "Starting school is an exciting part of a child's life, and it's inevitable that at times they will catch childhood illnesses whilst at school.

"But it's so important they get the best start for their education, having all their childhood vaccinations, which help protect them from serious illnesses.

"Vaccinations are not only important for your child's health, but they can help protect those around them too, such as babies too young to be vaccinated and those who are too ill to be vaccinated."

Typically, children were offered a second dose of the MMR vaccine and the 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine at three years and four months.

If they missed those vaccinations, they could still catch up as the MMR vaccine could be given at any age, and the 4-in-1 booster could be given to up to the age of ten.