Parents were given new advice to help them spot early signs of meningitis in their children.

Researchers highlighted symptoms of leg pain, cold hands and feet, and an abnormally pale or mottled skin colour.

The 'classic' signs of meningitis consist of a red rash combined with a headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light and impaired consciousness.

But by the time these symptoms develop, children may be as little as two hours away from becoming critically ill.

Acting on the earlier indications would greatly speed up diagnosis and treatment and could save lives, it is believed.

Dr Matthew Thomson, from Oxford University, led a team investigating 448 children who contracted the most dangerous bacterial form of meningitis.

Most had only non-specific symptoms in the first four to six hours, but were close to death 24 hours after infection.