WHEN staff at Grants Dental Surgery in Royal Wootton Bassett spotted TV presenter Angela Rippon in the area it was too good an opportunity to pass up for the much-loved fashionable selfie.

But this was a selfie with a difference as everyone was wearing a pair of plastic blue lips to promote mouth cancer awareness month.

The High Street surgery regularly checks its own patients for signs of mouth cancer but throughout November it is offering free checks for everyone, even if they are not registered at the practice.

"This year, we want everybody to help us get involved in Mouth Cancer Action Month," said Debbie Reid, Practice Manager.

"Angela Rippon just happened to be in Bassett filming for one of her shows and she very kindly agreed to have her pic taken with us to help raise awareness of this disease."

The aim throughout this month is to get more mouth cancers diagnosed at an early stage by increasing education on the risk factors and to highlight the symptoms and encourage everyone to discuss any concerns with their dental professional.

In 2014 nearly 7,000 people in the UK people were diagnosed with mouth cancer and the disease claims the life of about 2,000 a year which is more than testicular and cervical cancer combined.

Mouth cancer also takes more lives a year than road traffic accidents. Dentists say the disease has grown by a third in the last decade and remains one of very few cancers predicted to increase further in the coming years.

Anyone who has had a mouth ulcer or any unusual lump or swelling or red and white patches in the mouth for more than three weeks is urged not to ignore it but get it checked out straight away. Early detection could save your life.

Yesterday Debbie took collection of a new batch of blue lips and is inviting anyone to pop in and take a selfie while wearing them to post on Twitter, #bluelipselfie.