Five-month-old Callum Murray was rushed by ambulance to the Royal Blackburn Hospital last Wednesday after a health visitor spotted the tell-tale purple rash on his groin and legs.

But his parents, Graham and Kathryn, said they were shocked to be told by a senior doctor that he was not a paediatrician and therefore could not make a diagnosis.

Instead, little Callum, who was also running a high temperature, was sent away with a prescription for Calpol.

"It has been the worst week of our lives, it's been a nightmare. He could have died," said Kathryn, who now wants other parents to be aware how quickly the illness can take hold.

"The doctors at Blackburn said they wouldn't do a blood test because of his age."

By the following day and after "a night of hell" for Callum, during which his parents said he was almost "too hot to hold," the rash had spread to his arms.

"I took him to my GP's surgery because I was really worried and they told me to take him to Burnley General.

"The doctors there couldn't believe we'd been sent away not knowing what was wrong with him.

"The doctor at Blackburn should have asked for a paediatrician to look at him."

At Burnley General Hospital Callum was given a blood test and a five-day course of strong antibiotics as a precaution.

"They gave him antibiotics because he was so poorly. They didn't know what kind of meningitis it was and the blood results took two days to come back," said Kathryn.

Callum stayed on the Deerplay Ward at the hospital until Tuesday this week when he was allowed to go home with his mum, dad and big sister Rebecca (2).

He had to have antibiotics injected into his head, because they could not find a vein in his arm and a lumbar puncture to take fluid from his spine. He still has to go for more tests and his parents should find out within days whether long-term damage has been caused to his organs and hearing.

"It's just scary to think what could've happened to him if Kathryn hadn't taken him back to the doctors. The staff at Burnley General Hospital were brilliant and they even apologised for the doctors at Blackburn," said Graham, who took time off from his job at Fort Vale Engineering in Simonstone to be at his son's bedside.

Kathryn added: "I don't want other families to go through what we went through. You know your own baby and if you feel something is wrong you should push it."

The family have spoken to Burnley Borough Council leader Coun. Gordon Birtwistle, who is campaigning to have accident and emergency services returned to Burnley. He said: "It's absolutely disgraceful. Every time they do something wrong they keep saying sorry. The folly of moving it to Blackburn has now been proved to be a total failure."

In response Dr Geraint Jones, Medical Director for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are unable to comment on an individual case but, viral meningitis is not always easy to recognise, and symptoms can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. In the early stages, the signs and symptoms can be similar to many other more common illnesses, for example flu. If the family would like to contact us directly we would be happy to discuss any element of care that was provided."