Parents are being urged to get children immunised against measles following the outbreak of the disease in Wales.

More than 700 cases have been confirmed in south Wales in the last month and a large number of children have been admitted to hospital.

Barking and Dagenham’s director of public health warned: “This is a reminder of how serious an illness measles can be, and of the importance of children receiving all their childhood immunisations.

“While the immunisation rates in Barking and Dagenham have improved over the last few years they are still not as high as they could be to help prevent an outbreak.”

To check whether your child or children have had both doses of the MMR vaccine, ask your GP to check their records.

The MMR jab can be given to a child at any age if they have not yet received it.