Health chiefs will be writing to parents in Wolverhampton shortly urging them to make sure their children are immunised against measles.

It follows the launch of a national campaign to get young people aged 10 to 16 vaccinated against the disease following a number of outbreaks across the country earlier this year.

Health chiefs estimate that more than 3,000 10 to 16 year olds in Wolverhampton either haven't been immunised or completed their course of vaccinations - putting them at increased risk of catching the disease.

Wolverhampton's Director of Public Health Ros Jervis said: "Over the next few weeks we will be writing to all the parents of pupils aged 10 to 16 urging them to make sure their children are immunised against measles, and to make an appointment with their GP as soon as possible if their child hasn't received their vaccinations.

"And while the national campaign is targeting 10 to 16 year olds, we would urge parents to ensure that all children and young people are vaccinated - whatever their age. If any parents are in doubt as to whether their children have been vaccinated or not, they should check with their GP as soon as they can."

"Already we've seen a big increase in the numbers of young people getting immunised, with around 10 per cent more 5 year olds having their jabs in the last 6 months.

"But this is a particularly unpleasant disease and, given the increasing number of cases of measles that there have been in other parts of the country this year, we want to make sure that as many young people in Wolverhampton are protected against it as possible."

Experts believe the recent rise in measles cases can be mostly attributed to the proportion of unprotected 10 to 16 year olds who missed out on vaccination in the late 1990s and early 2000s when concern around the discredited link between the MMR vaccine and autism was widespread.

As a result, many children - particularly older children - are not protected against infection and, after many years of low vaccination uptake, measles became re-established in 2007.

PHE West Midlands Centre Director Dr Sue Ibbotson said: "Measles is a potentially fatal but entirely preventable disease so it is very disappointing that cases have recently increased in parts of the West Midlands.

"Those who have not been vaccinated should urgently seek at least 1 dose of the MMR vaccination which will give them 95 per cent protection against measles. A second dose is then needed to provide almost complete protection."

Public Health England has launched a Facebook page in conjunction with NHS Choices at Type=links;Linkid=1643;Title=Public Health England Facebook;Target=_blank;