More than 3,000 women in Dorset are at risk after the breast cancer screening mistake, new figures show.

Figures released by Public Health England show 3,316 women in Dorset have been affected by an IT error dating back to 2009.

More than 40 per cent (1,383 women) were from south (425), west (610) and North Dorset (348) constituencies.

The remainder were from the east of the county.

In a statement, Jeremy Hunt, the then Health Secretary, said ‘serious failings’ in the screening programme meant thousands of women aged between 68 and 71 did not receive their final breast screening between 2009 and May 2018.

Up to 174,000 women were affected by this issue nationally, of which130,000 are still alive.

Between 135 and 270 women were estimated to have lost their lives due to the error but this figure has now been revised to fewer than 75.

In a statement he said: “Our cancer screening programme is widely recognised as world-leading, but on this occasion a number of women have been let down.

“It is now clear that this may have resulted in significant harm for a small number of women, while thousands more have faced unnecessary distress and anxiety as they waited to hear if they have been affected.

“Whilst this figure is lower than the original estimates given in my statement, this does not lessen the devastating impact that this has had on some people’s lives.”

Leading charity Breast Cancer Now has now called on the government to expand the screening workforce to cope with the increased demand of women who need to be urgently assessed.

Eluned Hughes, head of public health and information at Breast Cancer Now said: “Having now been notified, it is essential that these women are fully supported and given all the information they need to make an informed choice about whether to attend catch-up screening.

“We now urgently need the Government to deliver on its promise to expand the workforce to cope with this increased demand while maintaining routine screening.

“For the women affected who developed breast cancers that could have been picked up earlier through screening, this decade-long error remains a devastating failure.

“The independent review must now thoroughly investigate how this was allowed to happen and ensure it can never be repeated.”

MP for West Dorset, Sir Oliver Letwin backed the move.

He said: “It is obviously very distressing to hear that more than 600 women in West Dorset may possibly have been affected by a breast screening error – though it is obviously important to stress to all those women involved that this should not lead them to fear the worst. I think there is no doubt that we will need to increase the screening workforce to deal with the level of demand on the service that we are now experiencing.”

Anyone concerned about their missed appointment is urged to phone the Public Health England helpline on 0800 169 2692.