Thousands of people across Sussex are still at risk of catching measles because they have not been vaccinated against the disease.

Latest figures show the number of children who have had both doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine by the age of five is on the rise.

However not enough people are protected to prevent an outbreak of the virus sweeping across the county.

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The World Health Organisation recommends 95% of a community should be vaccinated to cut the risk of the virus spreading.

It also protects very young babies and people suffering from immune system disorders, who are not eligible to have the MMR jab.

Sussex experienced a measles outbreak in 2012, with more than 330 babies, adults and children falling ill.

Most cases were in Brighton and Hove, where 195 people were struck down, with some needing hospital treatment.

Figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show 87% of children in Brighton and Hove had received both doses of the vaccine between April 2012 and the end of March.

This was a rise on the 82% of the year before.

The increase may partly be down to a greater awareness of the potential complications of measles caused by the outbreak, although take-up rates have generally been getting steadily better in recent years.

Max Kammerling, a consultant in public health at Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “We are very pleased to see this increase, and it reflects on the hard work put in by local GPs and the specialist immunisation service to improve our vaccination rates over the past few years.

“We are still below the level needed to minimise the chances of any local outbreaks but we are seeing a steady increase and we confidently expect this to continue.

“Because, in previous years, our uptake rates for this vaccination were much lower, there remains a group of older children who are not protected from measles, mumps or rubella, and this resulted in a serious measles outbreak in Brighton last year.

“We would urge any teenagers, or parents of older children who have not been fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, to see their GP as soon as possible, in order to get the valuable protection these vaccinations offer.”

Brighton and Hove used to have one of the lowest MMR rates in the country because of concern among many parents about the vaccine's now-discredited alleged link with autism.

Take-up rates in East Sussex are between 86.4% and 87.6% and in West Sussex it is 88%.