A mum who contracted measles at a children's birthday party is calling for parents to make sure their youngsters are immunised against the disease.

Helen Jones, 26, had to be admitted to hospital with what was thought to be a viral illness. It also affected her five-month-old baby Jacob who had a milder version because he received protection through breast-feeding.

Doctors found Mrs Jones, pictured with Jacob, had measles when they tested her after realising she had been in contact with a three-year-old diagnosed with the illness - the first case in Bradford for two years, as reported in the Telegraph & Argus last Saturday.

When Mrs Jones and husband Ian had their eldest child Daniel, aged three, vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella, they found it an easy decision because they wanted to protect their child.

However, when their middle child Ashley, aged two, was due for his jab, a debate was raging about a possible link between the vaccine and autism, so the couple, of Shay Crescent, Heaton, Bradford, decided to put off having their middle child immunised.

But after weighing up the pros and cons they eventually decided to go ahead. Now they realise it was one of the wisest decisions they have ever made.

"We never thought, even when we were having them vaccinated, that we would come into contact with measles," said Helen.

"We had a birthday party on June 22 for Ashley," said Mrs Jones. "I must have only been in contact with the child with measles for a couple of hours.

"By the time I went into hospital I was crawling around on my hands and knees. I also had a really high temperature for days. I was really poorly and very weak."

While Mrs Jones was in hospital, baby Jacob went with her so she could continue breast-feeding him. A few days later he began to show signs of measles but because of the antibodies passed on to him from his mother through breastfeeding, his was only a mild case.

"I dread to think what would have happened if I had not been feeding him," said Mrs Jones.

"If the other children had not had the MMR vaccine we could all have had it and that would have been awful."

Now Helen and Ian are calling on all parents to make sure their children are protected against the potentially life-threatening illness. "Unless it is proved MMR causes autism, there is no definite risk," Mrs Jones said. "But with measles, it can cause all sorts of problems that carry real risks. I think every parent should realise this."