MORE than 100 people whose lives have been shattered by meningitis have attended a special event about the disease.

Local charity Meningitis UK organised the Friends Day to launch a new memorial garden at Bristol Memorial Woodlands in Alveston.

At the launch families were given the opportunity to pay poignant tributes to their lost loved ones, including the Virgo family from Berkeley.

Two-year-old Sam Virgo was struck down by meningitis in March 2008 and died within hours.

At the Friends Day people affected by the illness were also given the opportunity to learn more about the latest research into eradicating the deadly disease.

Leading figures from Meningitis UK's Scientific Medical Advisory Panel spoke at the Friends' Day answering questions and giving updates on the latest advances.

Steve Dayman, chief executive of Meningitis UK, who lost his son Spencer to the disease in 1982, said: "Every week, six families have to face the sudden tragedy of losing a loved one to meningitis.

"Just last week we heard about the tragic death of Ryan Bresnahan, a pupil at Clifton College, who died suddenly from meningococcal septicaemia. Cases like this highlight the importance of our work to find a vaccine for this devastating disease."

Meningitis kills more under-fives than any other infectious disease, despite existing vaccines for Hib, meningitis C and pneumococcal meningitis.

Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign aims to raise £7 million to help fund cutting-edge research to find a vaccine for meningitis B, the most common form of the disease in this country, and save thousands of lives in the future.

Last year the Gazette teamed up with Meningitis UK and raised more than £40,000 towards the Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign.

For more information about Meningitis UK, or to support the charity's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, call 0117 373 7373 or visit www.meningitisUK.org