Friends and families from every corner of Hywel Dda are being encouraged to put on their walking shoes to beat bowel cancer this April.

Now in its fourth year, the Glangwili Hospital Colorectal Unit’s annual sponsored walk at Dinefwr Park, Llandeilo, promises to be a huge success as this year’s trek will be led by popular BBC weatherman Derek Brockway.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, a national campaign run by the Beating Bowel Cancer charity and supported annually by colorectal healthcare professionals.

If detected early, bowel cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer but figures show that uptake rates in Hywel Dda for bowel cancer screening is around 55 per cent.

Bowel screening tests are mailed out automatically to all UK residents registered with a GP and this figure shows nearly half of all adults aged between 60 and 74 living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire do not use the potentially lifesaving testing kit that can be done in the privacy of your own home.

Iris Williams, Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist, said: “This is shaping up to be a great event again to get the whole family out in the fresh air in the beautiful grounds of Dinefwr Park. We had beautiful weather last year and we’re hoping for the same again! I’d like to thank Dinefwr Park for accommodating us again this year.

“It would be fantastic to see former patients and their families get involved but most of all we want to see as many people taking part as possible.

“Bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK and it is important that we keep it in people’s minds. Early diagnosis is so important and can be assisted through symptom awareness and participating in the bowel screening Wales programme.”

The walk is free to take part and the team will be collecting for the Colorectal Unit at Glangwili General Hospital on the day.

If you would like to take part in the walk on Sunday, April 23 at Dinefwr Park please arrive and park up in the home farm car park and the walk will start from the at 11.30am.

Please register your interest if possible in advance by calling 07973 840285

Alternatively, if you are not able to join the walk but would like to make a donation, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Hazel-Thomas3