YOUNG soldiers have received a warning about the dangers of mouth cancer.

Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Bryant, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, gave a presentation to Army recruits at Catterick Garrison last week.

The event was arranged as part of Mouth Cancer Awareness Week.

Lt Col Bryant said: "Oral cancer can be facially disfiguring if not caught early enough.

"If we catch it early enough, treatment is relatively straightforward with a high chance of cure."

Research by Cancer Research UK found that more than 4,300 cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed every year across the country.

Smoking, drinking alcohol and a poor diet are major risk factors.