THOUSANDS of women in West Dorset are avoiding tests that could prevent cancer deaths.

The Echo has learned that the area is below average for the number of eligible women taking up cervical and breast screenings.

It could be leading to later diagnoses of the diseases, preventable deaths and a bigger bill for the NHS, leading charities say.

The number of women taking up their screenings in both Weymouth and Portland and West Dorset has fallen over the last three years.

In 2011/12 the area was above national average for both screening types- now it is below.

The Echo has spoken to charities and cancer survivors who say the key issue might be embarrassment.

Cancer Research has found 'stiff upper lip stoicism' is keeping people aged over 50 away from the GP when it comes to cancer symptoms.

Portland councillor Sandy West is urging women to bite the bullet and go for their tests after she lost her sister June to cervical cancer.

After being diagnosed, June battled the cancer for five years before her death at age 57.

“June was very vibrant, outgoing, the life and soul of the party,” said Sandy, “and yet she would not go for her test.

“It takes five minutes. But there are so many women out there afraid to go.

“There shouldn't be any embarrassment; doctors are professionals and they have got a job to do.

“The sooner you go, the sooner you can get the help you need.

“Every year cancer treatment gets more advanced and more lives are saved.

“If I could turn back time, I would drag June to the doctor.”

Sandy said she believes the age limit for cervical screening should be lowered from 25 to 18.

“I urge all women to go for their tests,” she said.

“I've lost my sister all for a five minute test.”

All women aged between 25 and 64 are invited for cervical screening every three to five years. The procedure is used to detect abnormal cells which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer in the cervix.

Screening coverage - the percentage of eligible women recorded as having been properly tested at least once in the last five years - has been falling nationally.

A total of 4.24 million women in England were invited for cervical screening in 2013/14.

According to official figures, 3.23 million of those women were tested - a fall of three percent on the previous year.

Data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) also revealed that the uptake of smear tests is lowest among younger women.

Although screening coverage for women aged 25 to 29 increased to 63.3 percent at March 31 2014 from 62 percent in 2013, it was still 'considerably lower' than in any other age group.

It means that more than one in three women in the youngest age group have not been screened in the last three-and-a-half years.

Professor Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes - which is managed by Public Health England (PHE), said it was ''encouraging'' that the overall screening numbers ''remain high'', But she added: ''PHE is concerned to see a drop in the numbers of younger women aged under 30 - with just 63 percent being screened every three years, they are clearly lagging behind the older age group, where attendance is over 81 percent every five years.

''It is evident that women in this younger age group still need encouragement to be screened and we are working hard to address this with research under way to investigate new ways of improving screening uptake among younger women.

''One positive change is in coverage among women aged up to 49 years, which rose to almost 72 percent every three years. This is the first rise in this age group for four years and we hope this continues.

''It's important women realise that regular attendance at screening remains the top preventative measure against cervical cancer and it is essential that women are aware of this when deciding whether or not to take up their invitation.''