A ‘FANNIES for facials’ campaign has been launched by a beautician hoping to encourage more women to get checked for cervical cancer.

Stockton’s Bel Viso beauty salon will be offering free facials to any woman who attends their smear test between now and the end of February.

The incentive was launched in response to what one charity – Jo’s Trust - has deemed a “recent and worrying trend” of fewer women, especially those in the 25-29 age group, undergoing cervical screenings.

The team at the salon are now inviting women to “swap your fanny for a facial” as they promise to provide a free 30 minute Dermologica facial upon receiving proof of having attended a smear.

In a post that has since gone viral online, they say: “We don’t care if we end up doing thousands of these, it will be worth it to get thousands of you all checked out.

“All you have to do to claim is book your appointment and send us proof – a text from your doctor, a letter from the clinic, whatever!”

Salon owner Samantha Lindsley said she had been overwhelmed by the positive response to the initiative, which has inspired hundreds of people to comment with their experiences and prompted them to share moving stories.

Ms Lindsley was inspired to launch the offer after seeing another salon in Liverpool doing the same thing.

The 28-year-old, who has been inundated with bookings since the offer launched last night, is now calling upon other salons and beauticians to do the same in the hope that lives can be saved as a result.

She said: “I’ve been reading so many messages that have been sent since doing this and heard so many stories – one woman had not been for a smear test since before having her baby who is now 14 and because of this, she’s booked in for an appointment on Monday.

“I want this to benefit as many people as possible and if it saves just one life it will have been worthwhile.

“It absolutely baffles me why so many people do not go for their tests and it is an issue that has affected my friends and family, I have one friend who has to undergo more tests because her results came back abnormal recently.

“In other countries they have to pay for these tests and there are many women who can’t afford them so I cannot understand why women here will not get theirs for free – some of them will get naked for spray tans but not to save their health.

“I want to encourage as many people as possible to get a smear test and if every beauty salon in the area offers just five facials, we could make a big difference.”

For more information about the offer, visit Bel Viso on Facebook or call 01642 956883.

To learn more about cervical screening, which is automatically offered by invitation to all women aged between 25 and 64 who are registered with a GP, visit nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening.