A NEW technique to detect bowel cancer is to be tested in parts of Scotland.

About 20,000 patients from the Tayside, Fife, Grampian and Glasgow health board areas will be offered scope screening which detects polyps in the bowel that could eventually become cancerous.

Scope screening uses a tube with a tiny camera on the end that allows medics to see the lower part of the large bowel.

Samples are taken if they identify any abnormal areas.