"This is the worst of times to be diagnosed with cancer. There are patients who are young and have whole lives ahead of them. They do not need to die because of Covid-19. This is not okay.

"We need active measures such as a prioritisation of PPE for radiotherapy staff, testing of staff and patients and keeping whole complex teams together and innovative practical solutions in IT, capacity and transport are needed now.”

Although the findings of the new report are not yet clear a separate independent analysis carried out by Professor Karol Sikora, former advisor to the World Health Organisation on cancer care, has estimated that over the next six months up to 60,000 cancer patients will die and approximately 15,000 patients – of all ages – will suffer illness or be forced to undergo unnecessary invasive treatments due to the loss of cancer services.

Michele Martin, 57, from Hockley, Essex, is overdue to have urgent breast cancer surgery after a biopsy on March 16 revealed her disease is so advanced she needs a full mastectomy.

She still has no date for her operation and has been told she will not receive reconstructive surgery due to the pressure on resources.

She said: "I am frightened. The biggest thing is waking up every day and worrying my disease has spread. As the days go on, things get worse because my operation is being put back. Covid-19 is stopping me from having a vital lifesaving operation."

Professor Gordon Wishart, chief medical officer of Check4Cancer, which provides early cancer services, said: "We are facing a ticking time bomb.