CANCER patients struggling to heat their homes because of rising fuel bills are being forced to rely on handouts to keep warm, charity officials have warned.

Macmillan Cancer Support has handed out more than £21,000 in financial grants to 101 cancer patients in Cornwall to help with their energy bills in the past 12 months.

Nationally it is giving out almost twice as much in such grants as it was five years ago.

Sarah Beaven, cancer information and support specialist for the region, said: "To feel too scared to put the heating on because of soaring energy bills is an unacceptable reality for thousands of vulnerable cancer patients who feel the cold more and spend long periods of time at home.

"It is shocking that people who are diagnosed with this devastating disease are still relying on charity help to heat their freezing homes."

For more information about Macmillan benefits advice services, or to donate to the cause, visit www.macmillan.org.uk or ring freephone 0808 8080000 to speak to an adviser.