GREAT Yarmouth MP Tony Wright was amongst the politicians backing the Beating Bowel Cancer charity at Westminster this week.Mr Wright attended a Parliamentary reception for the Be Loud Be Clear Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of bowel cancer screening.

GREAT Yarmouth MP Tony Wright was amongst the politicians backing the Beating Bowel Cancer charity at Westminster this week.

Mr Wright attended a Parliamentary reception for the Be Loud Be Clear Campaign to raise awareness of the importance of bowel cancer screening.

All people aged 60-69 in England are invited for screening every two years through the NHS bowel cancer screening programme. But in Great Yarmouth only 58pc of people have taken part in screening since it was made available.

Bowel cancer is the UK's second biggest cancer killer. Of the 100 people diagnosed with bowel cancer every day, almost half will die from the condition, but 90pc of cases can be treated successfully if diagnosed early enough.

It is hoped to screen an extra one million people in the UK over the next two years, saving over 2,000 lives through early diagnosis.

Mr Wright said: ''I was pleased to learn today that over 500,000 people in the eastern screening hub have taken part in bowel cancer screening to date. However, too many people are still dying from this curable disease.

“If 77pc of people in the eastern screening hub took part in bowel cancer screening, in the next two years, nearly 1,500 more cancers could be detected.

“That is why I am being loud about the importance of screening to ensure that people in Great Yarmouth stay clear of bowel cancer.”

Hilary Whittaker, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel cancer said: “We are delighted that Tony is supporting Beating Bowel Cancer's call to action on screening.

“Whilst significant improvements have been made since the start of the programme, we know more lives could be saved if participation in screening increased.

“That is why Beating Bowel Cancer is calling for policymakers and the NHS to commit to ensuring one million additional people are screened by 2012 and urges the government to extend the age range for screening in England to those in their fifties so that more people at risk of bowel cancer have the opportunity to be screened for, and beat the disease.”