Stickers reminding people to check themselves regularly are set to feature on mirrors in more than 240 leisure centres run by Better, the UK's largest leisure charitable social enterprise.

The stickers will feature the message ‘Check you out' and ‘Know what's normal for you' before reminding people that if something in their body doesn't feel right, to contact their GP practice.

The scheme is the latest push by the NHS to find cancers at an earlier stage, with Better joining several other partners, such as supermarkets and washroom hygiene specialists, to highlight cancer messages to the public in relevant everyday situations.

Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: ‘Finding cancer early is key to successful treatment and survival, and this means that we need people who have new symptoms to come forward as soon as they spot them. This is why it's vital that people are aware of their bodies, take notice of any change from what is normal for them, and get it checked out immediately.

‘The partnership with Better helps us to reach more people and remind them to check themselves at a time and a place that works for them. It's a simple thing that anyone can do, but it really can save your life.'

The initiative comes as a survey of more than 2,000 people by Better found that only 55% of respondents check their bodies for physical changes regularly (at least once a month), and 12% don't check at all.

Joe Rham, customer and communities director for GLL - the not-for-profit charitable social enterprise that runs Better leisure centres, said: ‘The survey we conducted clearly indicates a need to raise awareness of potential signs of cancer and the mirror stickers will hopefully act as a timely reminder to our customers to check themselves regularly.'