A RADCLIFFE couple have been chosen to star in a new Cancer Research UK awareness campaign that has been launched across Greater Manchester.

Paul Hilton and his wife Ann will front the campaign, aimed at men and women aged 60-74, which highlights the role of bowel cancer screening in helping to save lives like Paul’s.

The 62-year-old, who has two children and two grandchildren, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013, but because it was diagnosed at an early stage thanks to a cancer screening kit sent through the post, his cancer was removed with keyhole surgery and required no follow-up treatment.

He said: “I know from personal experience that bowel cancer screening really can save lives.

“I hope that when men and women see my picture around Greater Manchester and then receive the kit they will be encouraged to complete it and send it back. Using the test was very easy and I would urge people to not put it off and just do it.

“When I got the results to say I had the all-clear I just broke down with relief. I still have regular check-ups and have had further polyps removed but my CT scans and blood tests have all been clear since then.”

Figures show that, every year, 2,000 people aged 60–74 are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the North West and 600 people of the same age in the region will die from the disease.

People in this age bracket receive an NHS bowel cancer screening kit routinely through the post, every two years.

Jane Bullock, Cancer Research UK spokeswoman for the North West, said: “We hope that his experience will help more people to see bowel cancer screening as a normal part of looking after their health. The awareness campaign also emphasises the fact that completing the test is easier than people might think."