DRINKERS in Poulton will be able to pick up something healthier than their usual pint and packet of peanuts.

Health visitors are heading for town centre boozers, offering advice on topics such as alcohol and smoking, as well as basic health tests, in a bid to boost men's health.

Kevin McKeown, director of public health for Wyre Primary Care Trust, which is organising the checks, said: "This scheme is breaking new ground because it takes services out to men in their communities.

"Men die earlier than women across Wyre, and little progress has been made in reducing mortality rates from accidents and cancers."

Because men are less likely to visit their doctor, the findings will be handed over, with permission, to update their medical records.

The visitors will also be handing out shower cards, showing men how to examine for testicular cancer, and using state of the art scales to measure body mass.

If the tests show any cause for concern, men will be advised to visit their GP or practice nurse.

"It is great to be going out to the community and bringing health checks to the people that you would not necessarily see on a regular basis," said local health visitors, Sue Pilling and Clare Eastwood: "It will really raise the profile of men's health issues in the community, as, traditionally, men's health is not very openly discussed. "

The initiative was launched this week to mark Men's Health Week and will start at The Old Town Hall on Friday, June 27 from 3pm to 7pm.

It will be at The Bull on Tuesday, July 8, The Golden Ball on Friday, August 8, The Cube on Monday, September 1 and The Thatched House on Wednesday, October 8.

If the scheme proves successful it could be introduced across the Wyre area.