Cancer dogs move Camilla and Bailey

Comic Bill Bailey was left close to tears when he joined the Duchess of Cornwall at a demonstration of dogs which can identify cancer samples with a single sniff.

Camilla has become patron of the charity Medical Detection Dogs - one of the world's leading organisations in using the animals to help diagnose serious illnesses.

And she took her husband, the Prince of Wales, along to see for himself the abilities of the dogs, which are more sensitive and reliable than existing machines.

At St James's Palace, the royal couple and guests watched as three dogs, all Labradors, were put through their paces identifying prostate cancer and kidney tumours from samples from patients.

Comedian Bailey, who has been campaigning to raise awareness of prostate cancer, immediately gave his support to the organisation after watching the demonstration.

Speaking about chatting to the Duchess after watching the animals at work, he said: "Both of us had an emotional reaction to it - I wasn't expecting that.

"I was expecting a clinical trial. It brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye, how many lives this could save."