A memorial service is planned by a school for a gifted pupil who caught meningitis and died just a day after her 18th birthday.

Georgia Tait, died on Sunday, July 10, from meningococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning) surrounded by her family after first displaying symptoms of the disease on the previous day - her 18th birthday.

Family, friends and fellow pupils were to say goodbye to Sutton High School student Georgia at a funeral service on Tuesday.

It is understood family wanted the intimate service to be a “thanksgiving” celebration of her life as opposed to a traditional funeral.

Sutton High is also planning a service for the talented and popular pupil to be held soon after pupils return to school in September.

The details, which will be planned with Georgia’s family, are still being decided.

Katherine Crouch, acting headmistress at Sutton High, where fees range between £7,500 and £12,000 a year for day pupils, said the school community was ‘deeply saddened’ by Georgia’s tragic death.

The teenager, a house captain at the school, recently returned from a holiday to Kos, Greece, with friends to celebrate completing her A-levels.

The year 13 pupil, from Carshalton, had collected school awards two days before and was looking forward to starting university this September.

The Meningitis trust has offered support to her family, friends, and the school, after hearing of Georgia’s death.

A Health Protection Agency (HPA) spokeswoman said chances of further infection from meningitis in the school community and those who had close contact with Georgia in the days before her death were now very low.

After Georgia fell ill all close contacts were offered antibiotics in order to prevent any spread of infection.

She said the risk of further infection did exist for a month but risk was most prevailant in the first few days.

But she warned parents and pupils should remain vigilant at all times, and look out for flu-like symptoms including a stiff neck, sore throat, high fever, sickness or an aversion to bright lights.

Patients with septicaemia may also develop a rash, which will not fade under pressure.