The FOBt stands for faecal occult blood test. It's a test that looks for hidden (occult) blood in your stool. If you take part in the programme you will be sent a kit with instructions telling you what to do. It involves smearing a small amount of your stool on to a piece of card and sending it in the post to a laboratory.

If the test is positive (hidden blood is found) further tests will be arranged; including a colonoscopy. This uses a thin flexible tube that is inserted into the back passage and allows doctors to see the inside of your bowel.

It's important to remember that there are other causes for hidden blood in the stool, as well as bowel cancer. So, a positive FOB test doesn't mean there is definitely a bowel cancer. It just means that you will need further tests to look at the bowel more closely.