THE Health Secretary has apologised to the family of a six-year-old ‘dancing angel’ who died of Meningitis.

Layla Rose Ermenekli, from Limeside, contracted one of the ‘worst cases’ of Meningitis doctors had ever seen, in February this year, and later died in hospital.

During a meeting with her family, Jeremy Hunt apologised on behalf of the Government, saying “we have let you down.”

Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon, who attended with MP for Bristol East Kerry McCarthy, said: “The meeting was called to discuss the Government’s failure to provide Meningitis vaccines to all children.

“In Layla Rose’s case, there were failings by the Royal Oldham Hospital, and they will be addressed, but fundamentally the six-year-old would be alive today had she received the MenB vaccination.”

A vaccine for MenB was introduced in the UK in September 2015, but is only given to babies aged eight weeks, 16 weeks and one year under the NHS childhood vaccination programme.

Layla Rose’s family has called for the vaccination to be extended to all children.

Mr Hunt met with Layla Rose’s mum, Kirsty, at Westminster, along with the families of Bristol teenagers Izzy Gentry, aged 16, and George Zographou, aged 18.

The three families have been supported in their campaign by Bristol-based Meningitis Research Foundation.

Ms Ermenekli said: “It was emotional being there. Each of the families told Mr Hunt our stories and how the diagnosis was missed.

“We explained how we were not aware our children could pick up Meningitis and all voiced that it can be prevented but it is not.

“He apologised that we had been let down by the Government and by the NHS and has agreed to set up a working group, and to look into it further.

“It is progress. We do appreciate what he has done but we have got to keep pushing.

“Ultimately, it is not going to bring Layla Rose back. But we are doing this for others like her.”

Layla Rose would have celebrated her seventh birthday on November 24. A special balloon release and gathering was organised to mark the occasion.

Mr McMahon described the meeting as a step towards justice for Layla Rose and other children like her but echoed there is much more to be done.

He said: “These cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

“Many more have died, and many are at risk.

“At the meeting, there were promising signs that the Secretary of State is taking this issue to heart.

“He promised to resource a working group to explore better awareness of the existing vaccine, prevention and detection of MenB, and also to look again at the evidence of full roll-out of the vaccine.”

The working group, made up of families, MPs and Government representatives, is due to be convened at the start of 2018.