PARENTS in Oxfordshire have been urged to make sure their children have had the MMR vaccine.

It comes as more than 120 cases of measles have been recorded in West Yorkshire, Cheshire and Liverpool, West Midlands, Surrey and Greater Manchester.

Dr Margot Nicholls, consultant in communicable disease control with Public Health England (PHE) South East, said:“Measles is a very infectious virus and can spread rapidly among communities, such as schools, if people have not been fully immunised.

"While most people who catch measles will recover completely within a couple of weeks, it's important to remember measles can be a very serious illness that can leave permanent disability, and occasionally even kill.

“Although we had not any confirmed cases in Oxfordshire, I would still urge parents who have not yet had their children vaccinated to get them protected as soon as possible through their GP."

She added children should receive two doses of the free MMR vaccine for maximum protection and that the more children vaccinated limited the chances of the virus spreading.

Anyone with symptoms, which include a runny nose, sneezing, cough, and after a few days a red-brown blotchy rash, is advised to stay at home and phone their GP or NHS 111 for advice to prevent the infection spreading further.

PHE believe cases in England are linked to outbreaks in other parts of Europe including Romania, Italy and Germany.