Charity offers free prostate cancer tests to Mid Sussex men this autumn: people can now register for the Burgess Hill event online

PCaSO, the Prostate Cancer Support Organisation, will be at The Triangle in Burgess Hill from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, October 21.

People can register and book their test online at pcaso.mypsatests.org.uk.

PCaSO spokesperson Clive Hancocks said: “It's a blood test, a PSA test, which means prostate-specific antigen.”

PSA is a small molecule that is present in the blood of all men and tends to be increased with age, vigorous exercise (like riding a bicycle) or urinary tract infections. PSA is also elevated in 80 per cent of men who have prostate cancer.

Clive said: “Whenever you go to a doctor and you have a test for prostate cancer they give you a PSA test and then it goes of to the hospital and the guys get their results in about five days.”

He said there is no formal screening programme for prostate cancer in men like there is for breast cancer in women. PCaSO is a charity for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and is run by patients who have been diagnosed with the condition. Clive added that the group is expecting around 1,000 men to the Burgess Hill event and said people can register at the PCaSO website to book a time. At the event they will be seen by one of six phlebotomists who will take some blood. Attendees can also give a small donation if they would like to.