Students are being urged to get themselves vaccinated against the potentially fatal brain disease meningitis.

As teenagers prepare to go back to school, college or university next month health experts in Sussex warn they should be protected against the illness.

There have been six reported cases this year in the Brighton, Hove and Lewes area and three in the Eastbourne and Hastings area in July alone.

Angela Iversen, of the Health Protection Agency in Sussex, said the number of cases were no higher than expected but now was a good time to be vaccinated.

She said: "We usually see more cases during the autumn and winter, especially when students return to university.

"The vaccination against the C strain of meningitis has been a tremendous success and has significantly reduced cases. It is now very rare to contract the disease.

"I would urge any person aged 24 and under who has not been inoculated to go to their GP and arrange to have it done.

"The numbers of cases in Sussex tends to be patchy.

"We have had a small number of cases in the Eastbourne and Hastings area in July but elsewhere in the county we have not had more than expected so far.

"Throughout the country there has been an unusual rise in cases that have happened in the summer.

"We would warn people that although cases of the disease are more common in winter, it can occur all year round so people should be vigilant."

University of Sussex student Natalie Naylor, 20, was in the second year of her degree in industrial relations when she was struck down by the virus and died in hospital near her home in Surrey in January 2004.

Her family have set up a trust fund in her memory to raise money for research into the disease.

Although there is a vaccination for the C strain of meningitis there is not one for other types of the disease, including the B strain, so Dr Iversen is warning people to be aware of the signs.

The main symptoms of meningitis are severe headaches, stiff neck, fever, vomiting, drowsiness, an aversion to bright lights and a rash which does not turn white when pressed.

For more details, call the Meningitis Research Foundation on 0808 8003344.