NORTHERN men are dodging the doctor and risking their lives to cancer, according to a new survey.

Too many men are ignoring symptoms of cancer because they dislike going to the doctors, say Cancer Research UK.

In the North of England the poll revealed that a worrying 43 per cent of men questioned would put off going to the doctor if they noticed blood in their stools.

Luckily, women in the region have strong persuasive powers when it comes to getting their partners to the doctors.

The survey showed that 38 per cent of Northern men questioned said their partners had either persuaded them to make a doctor's appointment or had made one on their behalf, against their wishes.

Across the UK, only women in the South West of England scored higher - 41 per cent - for this question.

The survey comes at the start of Cancer Research UK's Man Alive campaign, which is designed specifically to promote greater awareness of the symptoms of cancers that affect men, including lung, bowel, prostate and testicular cancer.

According to the latest figures, each year in the North about 1,300 men are diagnosed with lung cancer; about 1,200 are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

There are less than 100 cases of testicular cancer and nearly 1,000 cases of bowel cancer.

Gwen Kaplan, of Middlesbrough, one of Cancer Research UK's senior cancer information nurses, said: "Our experience reflects the fact that men are reluctant to seek help if they have a problem with their health.

"We know that girlfriends and wives are often instrumental in encouraging their partners to get medical advice, even going as far as making appointments for them."