The proportion of women taking up breast cancer screening has sunk to its lowest level for a decade, new NHS figures show.

Experts have warned the “extremely worrying” trend risks worsening until health chiefs improve their methods of encouraging the public to take up the potentially life-saving tests.

Under the NHS Breast Screening Programme, women normally receive their first routine invitation for screening between the ages of 50 and 53, and are thereafter invited back every three years until their 71st birthday.

However, last year only 70.5 per cent of eligible women responded to a screening invitation, meaning more than 750,000 went unchecked.

It fits a consistent downward trend since 2010-11, when 73.4 per cent took up screening, and is the lowest for more than 10 years.

In two regions - the North West and London - uptake fell below the official “minimum” standard of 70 per cent, at 69.8 per cent and 63 per cent respectively.

The NHS national target for uptake is 80 per cent.

The new data comes as the NHS faces mounting scrutiny over its performance on cancer prevention, with a national review currently underway following a scandal last year where it emerged that a computer glitch caused more than 174,000 older women missed out on an invitation.