PEOPLE should check their skin for signs of cancer at least once a month, a Swindon specialist nurse has said.

Macmillan skin cancer clinical nurse specialist Tina Phillips, who is based at the Great Western Hospital, said people were unaware that even cloudy conditions could damage skin.

Speaking as part of Sun Awareness Week, Ms Phillips said: “Most people only think about sun protection when they are on holiday, or when the weather is hot, whereas it should be part of your daily routine- especially if you work outside, as you can get UV damage on a cloudy day.

“Sun screen should be applied at least 20 minutes prior to going outside and the average adult should apply at least a teaspoon of sun screen to each arm, leg, and front and back of body, not forgetting half a tea spoon to the face. No matter what the sun screen directions say, sun cream should always be reapplied every two hours.

“People should also check their skin from top to toe, including nails, on a monthly basis and seek medical advice if moles change shape or colour, have an irregular outline, get bigger, start to itch or bleed. There are lots of small changes a person can make to their skin care routines which can make a big difference.”

Last year, 1,336 patients at the Swindon hospital were diagnosed with skin cancer. Of those, 91 were diagnosed with life threatening melanoma.

For advice on skin cancer, visit: www.nhs.uk/skincancer.