A free lung health check is being offered to past and current smokers aged 55–74 in Farnworth and Kearsley via a mobile clinic.

The mobile clinic will park up at Tesco, Farnworth on Long Causeway, Bolton ready to serve six days a week (Monday to Saturday) from 8am to 8pm starting from Monday, June 23.

The initiative aims to ensure easy access for everyone being invited.

Invitations will be sent out via letters and text messages to smokers and ex-smokers aged 55–74 attached to doctors' surgeries under the Farnworth and Kearsley Primary Care Network in Bolton.

This includes patients registered at Kearsley Medical Centre, Stonehill Medical Centre, Fig Tree Medical Practice and Farnworth Family Practice.

The first step includes answering health and lifestyle questions with a specialist nurse.

The respondents' risk will then be determined.

High-risk individuals will be offered a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan of their lungs on the same day and will enter the programme.

Dr Tarek Bakht, clinical lead for Cancer Bolton Integrated Care Board, said: "Lung Health Checks help the NHS to spot lung cancer earlier when it is much more treatable.

“Please do come along for your appointment even if you feel fine. You’ll have a chat with a nurse and fill out a questionnaire to look at your risk."

The checks are a part of the Greater Manchester Targeted Lung Health Check Programme, an effort to improve earlier diagnosis of lung cancer and save more lives.

Bolton will witness further programme expansion in the future to cover more people.

So far, more than 500 lung cancer diagnoses have been made in Greater Manchester through Lung Health Checks.

Nearly 80 per cent of these cases were detected at an early stage, making them eligible for curative treatment.

For detailed information on the Targeted Lung Health Check programme visit its website.

Reach out to your GP immediately if you exhibit worrying symptoms.