Getty Images The screening programme targets people aged 55 to 74 who either smoke or have a history of smoking in the past Julia Bryson Yorkshire 28 October 2026 People at high risk of developing lung cancer will be among the first to take part in a new screening service, which it is hoped will reach about 90,000 people in Leeds.

Free NHS lung cancer screening checks are being offered to people aged between 55 and 74 who are smokers or who have previously smoked, in the hope that cases of lung cancer can be caught early.

A mobile CT scanner will be used to check people at locations across Leeds in the next two years, starting at the White Rose Shopping Centre in Beeston.

The programme builds on the Leeds Lung Health Check trial, which ran between 2018 and 2024, screening 8,800 people and detecting over 400 cancers, most at an early stage.

The trial was funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and delivered in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) and the University of Leeds.

It helped pave the way for the national lung screening programme, which is set to be fully rolled out by the government by 2030.

Among the first people to use the service was David Barraclough, 71, who was the first patient to be scanned.

A former smoker of 20 years, he has suffered three bouts of pneumonia and welcomed the opportunity to have his lungs checked.

"It's fantastic to be able to come along and be checked - I just hope my lungs are up for it." BBC/Nicola Rees David Barraclough was the first patient to be scanned at the new service According to LTHT, lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in Yorkshire, with the number of deaths from the disease double those of breast and prostate cancer.

There are often no signs or symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage, which means that many people sadly have advanced incurable disease at the time of diagnosis.

LTHT is being supported by Alliance Medical, who will provide the mobile imaging units and radiography teams who will carry out low-dose CT scans six days a week.

The mobile scanning units will be located in local communities so they can be easily accessed, and they will have stairs and lift access.

Anyone registered with a Leeds GP who has ever smoked cigarettes can expect to receive an invitation letter over the next couple of years, to be invited to take part in a telephone consultation.

Those who are at high risk of lung cancer will then be invited for a lung CT scan at the mobile scanning unit, which will be touring different locations across Leeds.

Suzanne Rogerson said the screening service would save many lives Anyone experiencing breathing problems or a cough which will not go away is urged to contact their GP immediately.

Suzanne Rogerson, Lead Nurse for the Leeds Lung Cancer Screening Programme, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to improve access to healthcare and help reduce health inequalities across Leeds.

"By bringing our mobile Lung Health Check unit into local communities, we can make screening more convenient, so it is easier for people to take part.

"Ultimately, this programme has the potential to save lives and improve the health of our communities." She urged people eligible to take up the offer when invited. "We hope as many people as possible take part and that we will save many lives," said Rogerson.