A YOUNG woman has died of meningitis two days after being admitted to hospital.

Kimberley Harper, 19, of Harrogate, an employee of the British Library in Boston Spa, was taken ill and admitted to Harrogate District Hospital with suspected meningitis on Monday. She died on Wednesday.

A member of staff at the British Library said workers there were extremely shocked as it was the second time a young female employee had been taken ill and died in the past six weeks. The other was the victim of a brain tumour.

Staff have received an internal memo reassuring them it was unlikely a second case of the disease would occur in the workplace.

A spokesperson for the British Library said: "The British Library regrets that a member of its staff at Boston Spa who was admitted to Harrogate District Hospital with suspected meningitis died on Wednesday.

"The library's board, management and staff offer deep sympathy and condolences to the family."

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Health Authority confirmed the death of a 19-year-old woman who was admitted to Harrogate District Hospital on Monday and died of meningococcal meningitis.