KEEP your pee wits about you.

That’s the message to the public as specialist nurses at Airedale Hospital give their backing to a national Blood in Pee campaign.

People are being encouraged to ‘look before they flush’ as part of the Be Clear on Cancer campaign.

Anyone noticing blood in their urine, even if just the once, is urged to visit their GP without delay.

It can be a sign of cancer.

The plea – tying in with Urology Awareness Month – has been made as a new survey reveals that only 16 per cent of adults aged 50 and over in England check the colour of their pee every time they go to the toilet, and women are less likely than men to carry out any checks.

Nearly half of those surveyed said they wouldn’t seek medical advice if they spotted blood just once, with 45 per cent stating they would wait to see if it happened again.

One in five respondents said they would be worried about wasting their GP’s time and 23 per cent said they would only book an appointment straight away if there were other symptoms.

But medical staff stress that blood might not appear every time and that it’s vital to get early advice.

Nona Toothill, specialist urology cancer nurse at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “If blood is seen in the urine, even just one time, it is important to get this checked out.

“Your GP will send you to Airedale Hospital, where two tests will be done.

“One test looks into the bladder and the other uses a scan to see the kidneys and bladder. These tests will show us if there is a reason for the bleeding that needs treatment.”

She added that at Airedale Hospital, all suspected cancer patients are given an appointment within a fortnight of their GP referral.

The trust also runs a number of services for patients diagnosed with – or suspected of having – urological cancer, including a rapid-access prostate assessment clinic.

There is also a team of urology cancer nurse specialists which supports patients throughout their treatment.

As part of the campaign, a new short film featuring TV doctor Dr Dawn Harper has been released.

It shows what to look out for, as the colour of blood in urine can vary.

For more details, visit nhs.uk/be-clear-on-cancer.