GIRL, 14, DIES IN CANCER JAB SCARE.

A GIRL of 14 has died shortly after she was given a cervical cancer vaccine.

She is thought to have become ill after receiving the jab at 10.45 yesterday morning.

She was taken to hospital at Coventry in the West Midlands but died a few hours later. Several other girls at local schools are said to have suffered mild symptoms, including dizziness and nausea, but were not admitted to hospital.

The whole vaccination programme for the area - part of a national scheme for 13 to 18 year olds - has been suspended while tests are carried out.

Health chiefs said the batch of vaccine involved had been "quarantined".

More than 1.4million doses have already been administered nationwide, with 4,657 reports of adverse reactions.

The dead girl had been given Cervarix, which guards against the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that causes up to 70% of cervical cancer cases. She is believed to be the first fatality involving the drug since the programme began a year ago.

Coventry public heath chief Dr Caron Grainger said: "We are conducting a full and urgent investigation into the events surrounding this tragedy."