COMEDIAN Roy Chubby Brown is backing a campaign to raise awareness of head and neck cancers.

The Teesside comedian is helping to highlight the Look Ahead to Save Lives campaign to make people more aware of the symptoms that indicate these cancers.

On Friday, March 12, he will be in Middlesbrough with a mobile dental unit, which is touring North-East towns to increase public awareness.

Studies estimate that 7,500 people will be diagnosed with head and neck cancers in the UK this year, and there is a particularly high risk in Teesside because of poor diet, depravation and pollution.

The unit offers oral health screening and provides free dental packs and information on preventing the diseases and how to stop smoking, one of the causes of such cancers.

Mr Brown underwent treatment for throat cancer last year and attends regular follow-up appointments at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

Head and neck surgeon Richard Wright, from the hospital, said people often only contacted their doctor after living with the symptoms for a while, which made treatment more difficult.

The dental unit will be in:

* Middlesbrough, near Binns, on Friday, March 12.

* Darlington Market Place on Monday, March 15.

* Middleton Grange Shopping Centre, Hartlepool, on Tuesday, March 16.

* Northallerton Market Place, North Yorkshire, on Wednesday, March 17.

* Somerfield supermarket, Guisborough, Teesside, on Thursday, March 18.

* Asda, Thornaby, and Thornaby Health Centre, Teesside, on Friday, March 19.

Times for the sessions have yet to be announced.