A nationwide campaign to help parents spot the symptoms of sepsis to protect young children and save lives has been launched by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

The campaign is principally aimed at parents and carers of young children aged up to four and will include a new film featuring Cornish mother and campaigner Melissa Mead, who lost her baby son William to sepsis in December 2014.

The UK Sepsis Trust estimates there are more than 120,000 cases of sepsis in adults and children, and around 37,000 deaths, each year in England.

Millions of leaflets and posters are being sent to GP surgeries and hospitals across the country. These materials, developed with the Royal Colleges, will urge parents to call 999 or take their child to A&E if they display any of the following signs:

Looks mottled, bluish or pale.

Is very lethargic or difficult to wake.

Feels abnormally cold to touch.

Is breathing very fast.

Has a rash that does not fade when you press it.

Has a fit or convulsion

For further information on sepsis, visit nhs.uk/sepsis or www.sepsistrust.org