A cake sale to raise funds for, and awareness of, Beating Bowel Cancer Awareness Week attracted a special sweet-toothed shopper on Friday, March 2.

Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith popped along to the cake stand at West Middlesex Hospital as Cancer services user group Cube sold teatime treats.

Cube was also on hand to make people aware of the fact bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK for men, second for women, and can be treated if detected early. Visitors also got to walk around inside a giant inflatable bowel.

More than £400 was raised for the NHS Campaign Be clear on cancer.

Dr Kevin Monahan, from the hospital, said: “More than 90 per cent of bowel cancer patients diagnosed with the earliest stage of the disease survive five years from diagnosis compared with only 6.6 per cent of those diagnosed with advanced disease.” Mr Goldsmith said: “One person dies every 30 minutes from bowel cancer, and this number could be greatly reduced if the disease is spotted early. It is imperative that people know the signs.”

For more information visit nhs.uk/bowelcancer.