BURY councillors met with scientists to learn about their life-saving cancer research.

Cllr Oliver Kersh and Cllr Ian Schofield met with Cancer Research UK scientists to find out more about their work and the charity’s efforts to ‘stub out’ smoking-related cancers.

Cllrs Kersh and Schofield joined councillors from across Greater Manchester to witness ground breaking research at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and the recently-opened Manchester Cancer Research Centre – a partnership between Cancer Research UK, The University of Manchester and The Christie.

They learnt about cancer imaging technology and the development of new cancer drugs, as well as clinical trials, which are helping to ensure that discoveries made in the lab are translated into the best treatment for cancer patients as quickly as possible.

In Greater Manchester, nearly 21 per cent of adults smoke. This is higher than the English average of 18 per cent.

The lethal habit is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer in the UK, causing nearly a fifth of all cancer cases, such as the majority of lung cancers.

During the visit, the councillors found out about how Manchester researchers are leading the way in the fight against the disease, which is the number one cause of deaths from cancer.

They visited a flagship lab researching how lung cancer cells break free from tumours and circulate around the body, and another focused on understanding cell signalling mechanisms that go wrong in different cancer types, including lung cancer.

George Butterworth, Cancer Research UK’s tobacco control policy manager, said: “Cancer has a huge impact on families in Bury.

“So it has been fantastic to show local councillors the Manchester laboratories and hear about how research is offering new hope to people here on their doorstep and across the country.

“Cancer Research UK is helping to turn the tables on cancer. But it is clear there’s also a critical role for politicians to play in helping to encourage smokers to quit and giving them the best opportunities to do so.

“That’s why I hope the councillors will be talking to their constituents and colleagues about what they can do to support local Stop Smoking Services.”

George continued: “Stopping smoking is the best thing an individual can do for their health, and reducing the harm from tobacco is the best thing a local authority can do to improve public health in their area.

“Cancer Research UK is committed to preventing cancer, wherever possible, and our vision is to achieve a tobacco free UK by 2035 - where fewer than five per cent of adults smoke.

“We are calling on local authorities to provide the very best Stop Smoking Services for their residents, and we will continue to call on the Chancellor to improve funding for these vital services by implementing a levy on tobacco industry profits.”

To help save more lives from tobacco, Cancer Research UK’s ‘Big Tobacco, Cough Up’ campaign is calling on the Government to make the tobacco industry pay for stop smoking services.

To get involved: visit cruk.org/big-tobacco-cough-up