The operators of a private North-East vaccination clinic have denied cashing in on public concern over MMR after a hefty price rise.

The cost of immunising a toddler against mumps has crept up from £90 to £140 per shot in recent months.

But there is no shortage of families willing to pay an extra £50 because of continuing concerns over the safety of the triple MMR (mumps, measles and rubella) vaccine.

Despite strenuous denials by the health and medical establishment of any significant safety risk, many families continue to seek individual jabs because they fear the triple jab could trigger autism.

Next weekend almost 300 families from all over the region and as far away as Scotland will descend on Healthchoice UK clinic in Newcastle. They will pay £100 per injection for individual measles or rubella vaccines and £140 for mumps vaccines.

Kathryn Durnford, managing director of Healthchoice UK, denied that they were making excessive profits out of the mumps vaccine.

"Since last August there has been a shortage of individual mumps vaccines. We have been working hard to obtain supplies. Unfortunately the suppliers know there is a demand and they have put the prices up. We are not profiteering. If we don't pay the prices we don't get the vaccines," she said.

Despite the price hike there was no shortage of takers, she added.

"We are getting people from other clinics who are coming to us because we can supply the missing mumps vaccine, she said.

Healthchoice UK, which run about 20 clinics offering individual MMR jabs around the UK, holds sessions at the Newcastle Clinic, Towers Avenue, Jesmond, Newcastle every 12 weeks.

Ms Durnford said a total of 290 families were currently booked in for the weekend of April 24-25.

"We have 160 coming on Saturday with another 130 on Sunday," she added.

Despite the success of the private immunisation sessions Ms Durnford said she would be happy if the NHS offered private jabs to parents. "I think parents should have a choice. We would be happy if the NHS offered this - we have other plans," she added.

For more information about individual MMR jabs ring 0870 4439980.