Have a good look at what comes out when you go to the toilet and don’t be embarrassed to talk about it.

You should be looking out for blood in your poo as well as bleeding from the bottom.

Bright red blood may come from swollen blood vessels (piles) in your back passage, but it could also be caused by bowel cancer.

Dark red or black blood in your poo may come from your bowel or stomach, and could also be worrying.

You may also be noticing a change in bowel habit, such as looser poo or pooing more often than normal.

Or you might feel you’re not emptying the bowels properly and not going often enough.

Bowel Cancer UK recommends keeping a diary of symptoms, external before you visit your GP so you don’t forget anything at your appointment.

Doctors are used to seeing lots of people with a variety of bowel problems, so tell them about any changes or bleeding so they can find out the cause.