The project in partnership with C the Signs, which has launched already in Bridgwater, Chard and Langport, will see thousands of people across the county proactively contacted by text and invited to book a quick test that could catch cancer before symptoms even appear.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust's consultant gastroenterologist and clinical lead for the project, Dr Emma Wesley, said: ‘It's all about getting people earlier when they don't have symptoms, or the symptoms they have are so minor they might not even notice.

‘There are pre-cancerous changes in some people that can be treated to prevent cancer and if we catch the cancer early it has a high chance of being cured. Unfortunately, if the cancer presents late, it's often fatal.'

Once patients respond, the team reviews the information and, if the patient is eligible, they are invited to undergo a capsule sponge test – a quick, minimally invasive procedure that helps detect Barrett's oesophagus, a condition that can increase the risk of developing oesophageal cancer.