THE health of thousands of women is expected to benefit from a new breast screening unit which has opened in North Yorkshire.

The unit, in York, will help cope with an increase in demand expected by the North Yorkshire Breast Screening Service.

The service already gets 82 per cent of targeted women coming forward for screening, which compares favourably with the national average of 75 per cent.

More than 6,000 women a year will be invited to use the new unit.

Previously, women living in the city and surrounding area were invited to attend one of two mobile units, but, with an increase of those in the 50 to 64 age range, it was felt important to ease the pressure on facilities.

Breast unit manager Sue Sims said: "Screening is a vital service to help us detect cancer early.

"While we are pleased that we already exceed the national average in terms of the number of women who come for screening, we will never stop trying to improve our service."

She said that as well as coping with the expected increase, the new facilities would help the service to expand over the next three years, when women up to the age of 70 would be invited for screening.

The local health trust has spent £59,000 setting up the unit, which has been fitted with x-ray equipment bought with a £49,000 grant from the Government's New Opportunities Fund