Thousands of girls are in danger of getting cervical cancer, because they're not being given the opportunity to receive a smear test until they're 25, medical professionals stated yesterday.

They disclosed that females were having sex at a young age and should be examined for CIN3 - a "precursor" to the disease - at 20.

Health bosses decided to stop testing young women under 25 two years ago, saying it :"may do more harm than good".

However, consultants Amanda Herbert, from Guy's and St Thomas' in London, and John Smith, from Royal Halamshire in Sheffield are quoted as saying in the Mirror newspaper:"The policy will add more than 3,000 women with untreated CIN3 to the larger numbers failing to accept invitations later on."

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