Peter Stringfellow claims he is ‘alive because of a mistake’

The 74-year-old nightclub owner urges “everyone of a certain age” to get checked after he was diagnosed with cancer

Peter Stringfellow has revealed he underwent surgery for cancer in 2008 (Getty)

Peter Stringfellow says he was diagnosed with cancer as a result of a mistake by his doctor.

The nightclub boss was found to have early stage lung cancer in 2008 and underwent surgery to remove half his lung, a rib and lymph nodes.

Stringfellow went public with his diagnosis in an interview with a Sunday newspaper in which he revealed it was only a clerical error which led to the cancer being found.

Having booked himself into his GP for a prostrate check he was told that he was to be given a full body scan.

“It was by pure mistake my cancer was discovered, everyone of a certain age should get checked,” Stringfellow told the Sunday Mirror.

“I was told if I'd waited until I had symptoms like coughing and wheezing it would have been too late to save me.”

Stringfellow , who didn’t have any symptoms of prostate cancer, went to the doctor because several of his friends had previously been diagnosed with the condition.

“I couldn't believe it when they said it was the Big C and it was lung cancer – I've never smoked in my life and it's the worst cancer you can get at my age.