PEOPLE who tuck into a fry-up every day could have a 63% higher chance of developing bowel cancer, a charity warned today.

PEOPLE who tuck into a fry-up every day could have a 63% higher chance of developing bowel cancer, a charity warned today.

Eating processed meats such as sausages and bacon increases the risk while extra calories can lead to obesity, which is linked to many types of cancer, the charity World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) said.

The typical English breakfast with fried eggs, sausages, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes can contain around 700 calories.

Extras like black pudding and fried bread push the calorie content even higher while saturated fat is also known to contribute to the risk of heart disease.

According to the WCRF, there is convincing scientific evidence that excess body fat is linked to six different types of cancer, including bowel cancer and breast cancer.

Experts now believe that, after not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight is the most important thing people can do to prevent getting the disease. The WCRF warned that eating 150g of processed meat a day - the equivalent of about two sausages and three rashers of bacon - increases bowel cancer risk by 63%. The evidence that processed meat is a cause of bowel cancer is so strong, people should avoid eating it, the charity said.

Professor Martin Wiseman, medical and scientific adviser for WCRF, said: "For some people, having a fry-up with bacon and sausages might seem like a good way to start the day. But if you are doing this regularly then you are significantly increasing your risk of bowel cancer, which is one of the most common cancers in the UK.

"This is not a question of all or nothing because the more processed meat you eat, the greater your risk."