A collection of some of the world’s fastest supercars is driving a crucial health message across the South West and stopping at Ashburton’s River Dart Country Park tomorrow, April 20, at 4pm.

The ‘BCW Grand Awareness Tour’, organised by charity Bowel Cancer West, will include a Tesla, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Ferraris and Mercedes as well as classic cars. The tour is to draw attention to bowel cancer in the hope of saving lives during bowel cancer awareness month.

Each year, around 40,000 men and women are diagnosed with bowel cancer. It’s the UK’s second biggest cause of death through cancer, often because too many people either aren’t aware of the symptoms, will ignore them or remain too shy to seek advice.

Apart from being one of the best places in the UK to receive treatment, the South West is particularly at risk, according to a BCW survey, with nine out of ten people admitting their knowledge is ‘average’ or ‘poor’.

The tour is visiting several hospitals in the region, meeting with bowel cancer patients and hospital staff, as well as local businesses and spending time in town centres meeting with members of the public and passing on life-saving advice.

Plymouth Colorectal Surgeon Mark Coleman, who founded the charity, said: ‘Driving these amazing cars in convoy will be a lot of fun but there is a very serious message we are trying to get across to the public that bowel cancer be cured in more than 90 per cent of cases if caught early.

‘During our tour, we will be passing life-saving advice for anyone experiencing irregular bowel habits, bleeding from the bottom or abdominal pain or bloating to visit their GP. Likewise, anyone over the age of 60 who receives a free NHS test in the post, must not ignore this.’

Kelly Stabb, from Devon, was diagnosed with advanced stage four bowel cancer in 2017 and has raised more than £13,000 for Bowel Cancer West.

She said: ‘My diagnosis was incredibly hard for all of us, particularly my family and my two boys. The cancer has spread to numerous places and I am now a “complicated case”.

‘I’m determined to do everything I can to support BCW and raising awareness of bowel cancer is vital as well. Although the warning signs weren’t obvious in my case, for most people they can be and that’s why catching it early and not ignoring them is so important. The BCW Car Tour is going to be brilliant. My boys are huge car fans and so excited!’

For more information on bowel cancer see www.bowelcancerwest.com