A South Cumbrian father is encouraging others to take up NHS bowel cancer home testing following his recent diagnosis.

Simon Rigg, a father of two, has shared his story this Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in attempts to increase knowledge about the disease and its symptoms, and to promote the crucial importance of screening.

Last year, after experiencing symptoms such as bleeding, Mr Rigg's doctor advised him to take the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). The test, unfortunately, came back positive.

A subsequent colonoscopy revealed a tumour in Simon's bowel, prompting a five-week course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Simon said: "It was really arduous, but when I was rescanned after Christmas they thankfully found the tumour had shrunk and I had surgery to remove it a few weeks ago.

"I’m now on the road to recovery, and hopefully free from disease."

Mr Rigg underlined the importance of screening.

He said: "The biggest thing I would urge people is, if you get sent a test, please do it and send it back.

"That could pick up something you were previously unaware of.

"And if you have any symptoms at all, contact your GP."

The NHS Bowel Screening Test, known as the FIT kit, detects unnoticeable amounts of blood in stool samples.

Following an expansion of this lifesaving NHS programme, additional people aged 54 in England.

Data from the North West reveals that only 64.3 per cent of 60 to 74 year-olds completed their bowel screening during the first quarter of 2023/24.

For those aged 54 to 59, national modelling indicates the uptake might be up to 10 per cent lower.

Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical director for NHS England – North West, said: "Detecting bowel cancer in its earliest stages makes it much easier to treat, so it’s so important you complete and return your FIT kit if you’re sent one, and continue to be aware of any changes in your body, that don’t feel right."

“We know that some people are hesitant when it comes to using the bowel screening kit, whether that is because they are prudish about poo or fearful of what the test might find, but catching bowel cancer before it spreads can reduce the risk of dying and make treatment so much more manageable."

Bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK.

Survival rates are considerably higher when the cancer is identified early.

The NHS continues to urge people to not to be 'prudish about poo', with people often reluctant to talk about symptoms.

If you encounter any bowel cancer symptoms, contact your GP immediately, even before your screening test.

Some potential symptoms include changes in bowel habits lasting three weeks or longer, tummy discomfort, blood in your stool, diarrhoea or constipation for unexplained reasons, feeling like you have not emptied bowels after going to the toilet, pain in your stomach or bottom, or changes in your stool's texture or colour.