ANXIOUS residents living in a cancer blackspot are to meet health chiefs to discuss their fears.

Families in Halton Brook have formed an action committee to try and find out why so many of their neighbours have been hit by the killer disease.

In one street alone, more than half the residents have contracted cancer.

North Cheshire Health has confirmed that there is a slightly higher mortality from cancer in Halton Brook in comparison with Halton as a whole'.

Campaigner Alan Hardy, of The Tithings, welcomed the opportunity to sit down with experts.

He said: "I am very pleased. This is exactly what we were aiming for. We wanted to get them interested to talk about our problem.

"I will stress though from day one, they have tried to help wherever they could. The health authority has always been constructive."

Worried residents packed into a second public meeting at Holy Spirit RC Church hall to form a committee. People were chosen to represent each part of the estate.

Grandad Alan, whose wife, Joyce has lung cancer, said: "Our interest was never to scare people. Cancer is a small word with massive repercussions, not just for the person suffering, but for the family watching.

"It is a horrible and insidious thing. We just want to find out what i causing it and why, so that we can do something about it.

"If we can save just one life, it would be brilliant."

Dr Paula Gray, director of public health for North Cheshire Health, said: "We are delighted to have an opportunity to sit down with residents and discuss our mutual concerns about the incidence of cancer in Halton Brook and poor health in general in the area.

"We shall be listening very carefully to the residents' views and discussing with them the measures we are taking to better understand the causes of poor health in Halton.

"An example of this work is the joint research which we are undertaking with Halton Council.

"This £200,000 study into the causes of poor health in Halton will provide a framework to help determine the future investment plans of key agencies in Halton in a bid to improve health."