Almost 20,000 Swindon women missed their smear test during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, figures suggest.

Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust said a national drop in cervical screening, combined with "unprecedented strain" on the health service could lead to more women being diagnosed with preventable cancers.

The charity's warning came as NHS England data showed nearly a third of the 63,752 women eligible for cervical screening in Swindon during 2020-21 did not attend an appointment.

Intended to detect abnormalities within the cervix, routine smear tests are offered to women between the ages of 25 and 64 in an effort to prevent cervical cancer.

Around 70 per cent of eligible women in England were tested during the pandemic, but coverage dropped by two per cent compared to 2019-20.

In Swindon, 69 per cent of those eligible were screened – down from 71 per cent the year before.

It means an estimated 19,524 women in the area missed out on the potentially life-saving programme during the pandemic, when invitations to screenings were temporarily suspended and appointments delayed.

Many women were also put off attending their screenings due to concerns about their risk of catching coronavirus during the appointment, according to research from the charity

Samantha Dixon, the charity's chief executive, said the national drop in screenings was not unexpected in light of the pandemic but it remained a worry.

: "Our health service is under unprecedented strain at the moment and facing a long winter," she said.

"We cannot afford to let coverage slip further. It will only lead to even more cancers that could have been prevented.

"In some areas coverage is lower than one in two and that should be ringing alarm bells."

Cervical screenings look for changes in the cells of the cervix which could go on to develop into cancer.

During the screenings, a soft brush is used to collect a small sample of cells which is then tested for any abnormalities. The tests allow early intervention if pre-cancerous cells are found.

Women aged 49 and under are invited for tests every three years while those older receive invitations every five years.

Uptake in Swindon during 2020-21 was higher for older women, with 73 per cent of those aged 50 to 64 receiving a smear test, compared to 68 per cent of women between 25 and 49.

In Wiltshire 76 per cent of those eligible were screened, down a percentage point from the previous year. Among older women the uptake was 77 per cent. It was 76 per cent in the younger age group.