People should talk about their poo to help save lives, Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Burstow said.

The care minister is fronting the first ever Government cancer awareness campaign, Be Clear on Cancer, showing people how to look for signs of bowel cancer.

He said: “No one likes to talk about their poo – it’s embarrassing. But if we see something different and tell our GP it could save our life.

“Early diagnosis makes a huge difference to cancer survival rates and bowel cancer is one of the biggest killers.”

More than 37,000 people have bowel and colorectal cancer diagnosed each year in Britain, and the cancers claim almost 16,000 lives, second only to lung cancer.

TV and radio advertisements will feature real GPs encouraging patients to talk to them about changes in their poo, according to the Department of Health.

The campaign is being piloted in the east of England and the south-west, at a cost of £1.75m and, if successful, will be rolled out nationwide.