A WORCESTER toddler who caught a deadly strain of meningitis had to be flown 120 miles by air ambulance to the nearest intensive care children's bed.

Georgia Bryan was taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital by her mum Claire Tippin, dad Chris Bryan and grandad Royston Tippin on Saturday after getting a rash all over her body.

The 15-month-old youngster, of May Avenue, Tolladine, was diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis and had to have emergency treatment to save her life.

But her condition was so serious she could not stay at the Royal because it has no intensive care children's ward. After frantically calling round the units closest to home - including Birmingham - the nearest place was found at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London.

Mr Tippin praised medics at the Royal, but hit out at a system that meant his daughter had to travel 120 miles to be with her child.

"The doctors in Worcester were wonderful and they saved Georgia's life," Mr Tippin said.

"What I have a problem with is the fact that the Royal was built without the specialist facilities Georgia needed.

"Claire and Chris have been in London on their own with no family for support."

Janet-Marie Clark, of Worcestershire Royal Hospital, said staff had tried to find a specialist children's intensive care bed nearer to home for Georgia, but Guy's was the nearest at the time.

"Worcester is a district general hospital in the old sense of the term and couldn't maintain specialist services in every area," she said.

"There is a specialist children's hospital nearby in Birmingham - it is just unfortunate that it was full at the weekend.

"To provide the best possible care, Georgia was air-lifted to London as soon as possible where she could get the necessary treatment."