THOUSANDS of schoolgirls across Swindon could soon be queuing up to get a jab that can prevent cancer.

About 1,300 Swindon schoolgirls aged 12 and 13 will be offered a jab called Cervarix as part of a national immunisation programme.

Girls aged 17 and 18, estimated to be as many as 1,500 in Swindon, will also be targeted in the vaccine campaign, which is due to start in September.

It is aimed at reducing the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that causes 99 per cent of invasive cervical cancer in woman.

The free vaccine is not compulsory and parental consent would need to be sought before it was administered in secondary schools.

“This vaccine is safe, simple to give and very effective,” said Jane Lyons, the manager of school nursing services at Swindon PCT.

“People are dying at a young age from something that is avoidable. This vaccine will save lives and I can’t see why anyone would not want to have their daughter protected.

“It works best when it is administered before girls are involved in sexual activity.”

Department of Health statistics reveal that 40 per cent of 20 to 24-year-olds already have the virus.

They say the vaccine could potentially save 400 lives across the country every year.

This is the main reason why the PCT is so keen to target girls from an early age.

Consultant Toyin Ejidokun from Swindon PCT’s communicable disease control department, said: “We hope there is a high uptake of this vaccine from girls in Swindon.

“It is important that this is seen in a positive light.

“The vaccine has been used very successfully in America and in Europe for the last six years.

“We haven’t vaccinated boys as the infection doesn’t manifest itself in the same way it does with girls.”

Three doses administered by injection would be given over a six-month period.

Information and consent forms on the vaccine were sent to parents during the week youngsters broke up from school Letters will be sent directly to those aged 17 and 18 this week.

Every year about 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and more than 1,000 die from the disease across the UK.

New Government rules mean that those aged between 12 and 18 will be vaccinated across the country by 2011.