Prostate cancer survivors live longer than men without the disease - if symptoms are caught early, new figures show.

Experts said the statistics suggest a diagnosis of the disease could act as a ‘wake up call,’ with such patients more likely to keep a close eye on their own health, and attempt to improve their lifestyles.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) are the first robust estimates showing how survival from a range of cancers varies, depending on when it is diagnosed.

When prostate cancer was spotted early - at stage one - men had five-year survival rates 0.5 per cent higher than men of the same age in the general population.

Overall, cases diagnosed at stage one and two are now achieving five-year survival rates of 100 per cent, the figures show.