'I had to make six-hour round trips for cancer care due to NHS postcode lottery'

Cancer patients are turning down vital tests and treatment because of travel times in a postcode lottery of care, a leading charity has warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support said an estimated four in 10 people with cancer have struggled to access care because of where they live, putting 100,000 lives at risk.

Too many patients feel they need to be “in the right place, at the right time” , the charity added, as it called for “urgent action” to make access fair.

A YouGov survey conducted for Macmillan asked 2,002 UK adults with a cancer diagnosis if they had to travel an hour or more for tests, scans or treatment, or had to repeatedly request specific tests not available in their local area.

Patients were also asked if they chose to travel to another hospital for a shorter waiting time or be