THE parents of a young meningitis victim have vowed to carry on raising awareness of the deadly disease that killed their son.

Kieran Smith, from Melksham, was just 20 when he was struck down by a killer strain of meningitis in November 2001.

His mother, Sue Smith, said: "I can't let Kieran's death be in vain so we have got to try to keep doing something to raise awareness about this disease."

Mrs Smith, her husband Mike and Kieran's two brothers, Darren, 25, and Mathew, 20, had to get through would what have been his 23rd birthday last week.

She said: "I don't think it matters how long it has been, you don't feel any different. It was his birthday and it didn't feel any different to when it happened. It is still very hard.

"Sometimes it feels like forever since I was with Kieran and held him in my arms, and sometimes it feels like it happened yesterday."

The family marked Kieran's birthday as they do each year, by visiting his grave with cards and raising a glass in his memory.

They have banded together to raise funds for the Meningitis Trust in the hope that it might prevent other families from going through the same heartbreak they have suffered.

Since Kieran's death they have raised over £20,000 for the trust through events and collection boxes placed through the town and, on February 28, they have organised a third annual dance in his memory at Melksham House.

When Kieran fell ill the telltale rash that most people associate with meningitis did not appear until it was too late to save his life.

He had flu-like symptoms that many people would not necessarily associate with meningitis.

The message his parents are trying to get across is simply to be aware of the symptoms of the disease and to get vaccinated if you are in one of the most susceptible groups.

Vaccinations are available for certain strains of the disease, particularly for people in their late teens and early 20s and young babies the two age groups most vulnerable.

Mrs Smith said: "Inocu-lations are extremely important. Everyone thinks it isn't going to be them, but what happened to us can happen to anyone."

The symptoms of meningitis include fever, drowsiness, aversion to light, neck stiffness, joint pain, severe headaches and vomiting.

In babies, symptoms can include a dislike of being handled, a high-pitched moaning cry or whimpering, blank and staring expression and a pale and blotchy complexion.

Tickets for the dance, sponsored by Larkin Construc-tion, are £7 and are available from Mrs Smith on (01225) 702026, Larkin Construction on (01225) 702076, or from Melksham House direct.