IF William Tait had followed the advice of his friends he might not be alive today.

Unlike his pals, the 57-year-old did not throw his free bowel cancer testing kit in the bin when it arrived in the post - and his action probably saved his life.

Within a week, specialists had diagnosed the disease and he was taken into hospital for life-saving surgery to remove the tumour.

Mr Tait, from Pollok, Glasgow, is now urging others to use the kits and not become a victim of what is Scotland's second biggest deadly disease.

In 2007, the last year for which figures are available, it killed almost 1700 people.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's bowel screening programme was launched in March for people aged 50-74.

NHS Lanarkshire will launch its own screening programme today with the help of nine survivors' who have been trained to help deliver the screening message.

Mr Tait said: "It was such a shock to find out I had cancer because I had no symptoms.

"When the kit arrived I put it on the shelf.

"But I decided to do the test because my mother and father died of cancer and I wanted to be there for my daughter and two grandchildren.

"I dread to think what would have happened had I not done the test because it would have taken some considerable time for me to get symptoms, by which time it may have been too late.

"I would urge anyone to do the test. It took five minutes and it was the best thing I did."

Within Greater Glasgow and Clyde there are about 750 to 830 new bowel cancer cases a year and 350-400 deaths.

Symptoms of bowel cancer include adominal pain, persistent change in bowel habits or blood in stools.

Esther Hart is among nine "champions" that NHS Lanarkshire hopes will help highlight its campaign against bowel cancer.

The 42-year-old, from Coatbridge, was diagnosed with the disease last year and is now making a good recovery. The volunteers will be going out to community groups to encourage people to use the kits.

She said: "We have been through it and we can tell people it is not as bad as you think.

"If I can persuade one person to use the kit it will have been worth it."

Dr Emilia Crighton, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Consultant in Public Health Medicine, said: "Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, but when detected early it can be treated effectively and many people cured."