A SALON is offering free treatments to women in return for them undergoing smear tests to detect cervical cancer.

Onyx Hair, Nails and Beauty in Lymm will give free facials to any ladies who have screenings for cervical cancer until the end of February.

The hair and nail salon, on Heatley Mere Business Centre, has already had an influx of clients sharing their experiences with smear tests.

Salon owner Tracey Matthews said: “There are a few salons across the country doing this and it’s massively important to get tested.

“Apparently it’s an all-time low for screening rates after the Jade Goody effect has worn off - people just aren’t going for tests anymore, but because it doesn’t have any symptoms you can just carry on not knowing that you’ve got it.

“I thought it was a fantastic campaign and we have the manpower to do it as well, so we thought it would be really good to offer this and get people to go for smear tests.

“The thought of it and the anxiety of booking it is worse than actually going for it, it’s horrendous.

“But the test itself is fine and it literally takes two minutes - it’s so simple and it’s not painful.”

Women who can produce proof of their smear tests will be treated to a half-hour Eve Taylor express facial at the Chaise Meadow salon.

Tracey, from Woolston, added: “It would mean absolutely everything if people go and have their tests done because of this.

“Hopefully it will be an incentive to go, because it’s not pleasant - it’s not nice and you absolute dread it after your letter comes through.

“We’ve even had a member of staff here who has been putting hers off for weeks, but she has booked it now.

“But there’s no point being nervous about it if it can save your life - I’m a mum, and when you have babies you’ve got to do it for them.

“If we can get just one woman to go for her test then it will be worth it, but if we can get loads of people going it would be brilliant.”

The number of women in Warrington being screened for cervical cancer has continued to fall in the past few years.

In the final quarter of 2016 - the latest figures published by NHS Digital - 72 per cent of eligible 25 to 49-year-olds had been screened, rising to 76 per cent in women aged 50 to 64.

During the same period in 2014, the earliest comparable figures available, screening coverage in those aged 25 to 49 was one per cent higher and two per cent more in 50 to 64-year-olds.

Nationally, smear tests rates peaked when TV personality Jade Goody died of cervical cancer aged 27 in 2009.

An estimated 400,000 extra women were screened for cervical cancer in the wake of her diagnosis and subsequent death.

But the 'Jade Goody effect' has since tailed off, and screening rates across the country are now at a 20-year low.

Dr Anne Mackie, director of screening for Public Health England, said: "We're supporting local services to encourage more women to attend cervical screening by providing clearer information.

"We have also asked the expert screening committee to look at the benefits of self-testing at home for women who are not getting screened."