THOUSANDS of women are choosing not to have smear tests because of fear or embarrassment.

It is estimated that 13,980 women, 9.2 per cent of the eligible Teesside population,are ignoring the simple but vital check-up.

Consultant Dr Deborah Beere said: "We do have a worrying number of women who have never had a smear test, often through embarrassment or fear.

"There is a misconception that this is a test for detecting cancer. In fact, it is a screening test, which looks for changes which can occur in the neck of the womb before cancer develops."

All local woman aged between 20 and 64 should have a routine smear every three years.

To encourage more women to get tested, a mobile screening unit staffed by a female nursing team is going to hit the road.

The unit will visit Stockton and Hartlepool this month, Middlesbrough and Redcar, in April.

Staff are keen to see women who have never had a smear, or those who have not had an examination for a number of years.

There are concerns that some women over 50 believe they no longer need a smear test, because they have been widowed, are not sexually active or have even had a hysterectomy. But women in those situations are not always free from the risk of cancer.