WHEN 13-year-old musician Adam Tuffrey takes centre stage at a charity jazz concert it'll be the high note of his young life in more ways than one.

Seven years ago the Bournemouth School pupil nearly died after contracting the deadliest strain of meningitis.

Meningitis B is one of the biggest childhood killers, affecting mainly babies and young children and is responsible for 90 per cent of meningitis deaths in the UK.

But Adam eventually made a full recovery and his concert will be a celebration and a chance to raise funds for The Meningitis Trust.

"Adam has always wanted to give something back and he loves music so he thought it would be a good way to do it," explains his father Duncan.

It's the first time the family has spoken publicly about what happened the night Adam was rushed to hospital in February 2001.

Adam's mother Trudy recalls how her son had woken early one Saturday morning with painful joints and a high temperature.

He was taken to the emergency doctor's surgery the next morning and was told that he had a virus and sent home with some pain killers.

"I had a leaflet about meningitis and I kept checking the symptoms. He was very hot and had a headache but he didn't have a rash at this point," says Trudy.

By late afternoon a rash started to appear on Adam's legs and that's when Trudy did the glass test (a rash that doesn't fade under pressure is a sign of meningococcal septicaema).

"You think it can't really be happening because we'd been told three times that it's just a virus but I just knew I wasn't happy."

This time a doctor came out to the family home in Muscliff and within minutes an ambulance arrived.

"They gave him some antibiotics straight away and an ambulance came to the house - then it was all guns blazing to Poole Hospital," says Trudy.

"By the time we got to the hospital the lights were starting to affect him, he had been sick and the rash was spreading. I honestly thought this is it - I just didn't think he was going to make it."

The pain of having to relive the episode is almost too much to bear for the couple as they tell how their son was then rushed to the children's intensive care unit at Southampton.

It was touch and go at first but Adam started to fight back even though he was confined to a wheelchair for a while because he couldn't walk.

Eleven days later Adam was finally allowed home and over the following few months he went onto make a full recovery.

David Light, the community development officer for The Meningitis Trust says it can be very difficult to diagnose as many of the symptoms are similar to flu or other viral infections.

"The main message we want to get across is - don't wait for a rash to appear. You don't necessarily get all the symptoms together. We want to encourage people to trust their instincts. If they feel something is wrong - don't be afraid to get medical help."

Adam who is an accomplished pianist and singer, has already raised around £800 for The Meningitis Trust through sponsored bike rides and he now hopes to double that amount with his musical extravaganza.

Around 160 people are expected to attend the concert at his former primary school which will include a poem written by his sister Chloe and a performance by Steve Legg, an escapologist.

Although tickets for the event at The Epiphany Primary School in Muscliff have sold out, you can still make a donation to the trust by contacting David Light on 0845 120 4766.

FACT PANEL

Meningitis is life-threatening and affects the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis and associated septicaemia (blood poisoning) can kill within hours.

As many as 500,000 people living in the UK today have had either viral or bacterial meningitis.

Up to ten million adults in the UK - one adult in every four - knows of someone who has had the disease.

Most cases happen in winter months when people's immune symptoms are at a low.

Although there isn't a vaccine for the B strain yet, scientists say it could be five or six years away.

Signs to look out for

Symptoms can include fever with cold hands and feet, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright lights, joint or muscle pain, drowsiness, confusion, blotchy skin, vomiting and a rash that doesn't fade under pressure.

Symptoms can appear in any order - some may not appear at all. Trust your instincts - get medical help immediately.

For more information contact the nurse-led helpline on 0800 028 1828 or visit website meningitis-trust.org