Mobile clinics visit local communities in England as part of a lung cancer screening program and have already detected the disease in more than 5,000 people.

As part of the largest initiative of its kind in NHS history, specially adapted lorries are visiting supermarkets, football grounds and town centers in areas with the highest rates of the disease.

Since the launch of the program, in 2019, 5,037 lung cancers have been diagnosed, of which 76% were in the early stages of the disease.

Experts say people are about 20 times more likely to survive five years if their cancer is detected early.

Phil Bennett, of Droylsden, Manchester, considers himself lucky.

At first, he ignored the letter inviting him to get tested at a mobile clinic.

He had no symptoms and was very busy working as a self-employed decorator.

But when he accepted the offer, he was diagnosed with stage-one lung cancer.

And early detection made a huge difference to their chances of overcoming the disease.

“Just go and get it done for peace of mind – or if you need treatment, it’ll be fixed straight away,” says Mr Bennett.

“Don’t ignore it. I was very lucky. If you get an invitation, you must go and get it checked out. It’s worth it in the end. It could save your life.”

The program focuses on current and former smokers aged 55–74, who are offered health checks and, if necessary, scans.

But experts stress that NHS staff are there to help and advise – not to lecture people about smoking.

Lung cancer usually does not cause noticeable symptoms until it has spread to the lungs or other parts of the body.

And it is the third most common type of cancer in the UK – causing around 35,000 deaths each year.

Symptoms include:

• a long-lasting, worsening cough

• coughing up blood

• persistent shortness of breath

• persistent fatigue or lack of energy

• unexplained loss of weight or appetite

And anyone with any of these symptoms should see their doctor immediately.