More than half the adults living in Watford have a family member or close friend living with cancer.

Macmillan Cancer Support revealed 42,000 adults in the town - 57 per cent - have, or have had, a family member or a close friend with cancer.

But the charity said they found around a third of adults in Watford do not feel confident about providing the person or people they know with cancer with practical or emotional support.

Fran Woodard, director of policy and research at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "It’s a devastating reality that more and more people are getting cancer and today’s findings sadly show us that most of us have someone close to us who has been diagnosed.

"Thankfully, people are living longer with cancer, but it can be a lonely time when you are going through treatment and even afterwards, when you are getting back to work, family and social life.

"Whether the person you know with cancer has just been diagnosed, is going through treatment, or is trying to get on with life beyond cancer, reaching out to them could really help them to feel less isolated.

"It might be difficult knowing how to help, but everyone’s cancer experience is unique to them, so there’s no one ‘right’ thing to do or say. Our site gives some suggestions that people with cancer have themselves found useful."

There are currently more than 400 useful tips on The Source website and there are more than 95,000 registered members of Macmillan’s online community, a forum for sharing cancer experiences, asking questions and supporting other people affected by the disease.

For more information or support, call 0808 808 00 00 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk.