PROGRESS is clearly being made in the fight against cancer. New developments in treatment and research are coming to the fore and more sufferers than ever before are being given hope.

But for many victims, the chances of winning that fight are dependent on the part of the country in which they happen to live.

In the North-East and North Yorkshire, and some other regions, we are at the mercy of a tragic and scandalous injustice.

Cancer patients are missing out on potentially life-saving drugs because of the "postcode lottery" which has been allowed to continue for far too long.

The Government's "drugs tsar" Mike Richards says the problem is not a lack of funding to buy the drugs but a lack of facilities, pharmacists and doctors. He also pointed to inconsistencies in the actions taken by individual doctors.

Whatever the root of the problem, the basic fact is that lives could be saved if there were a more uniform approach across the country.

The announcement by Health Secretary John Reid of a formal plan to bring health authorities into line is, therefore, not before time and must be delivered without further delay.

The National Health Service is paid for by us all and should therefore be there to help us all - no matter where we may live.

Keep the flags flying

DID it really happen or was it a bad dream? England somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against France.

But just as one victory wouldn't have made us champions, one defeat doesn't mean we're on the next plane home.

We can still do it. Keep on flying the flags and let's aim to get sweet revenge against the reigning champions in the final.