A Chorley woman has had to fly three-and-a-half thousand miles for a simple blood test which could save her sister's life.

Julie Turner, 44, jetted out on her mercy mission on Sunday after slamming doctors who refused to send her blood sample to Lanzarote, in the Canaries, where her sister is suffering from cancer. Julie's sister Paula Yates, 42, who lives in the resort of Playa Honda, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

Her doctors have told her that without a bone marrow transplant soon, she will die.

As a sibling, Julie stands around a 25 per cent chance of being compatible as a bone marrow donor. She said: "I went to see my GP and explained the situation. I asked if they could take a sample here and forward it to doctors in Spain. They refused and advised me it would be better to travel over to the island to do the test there."

Julie believes the refusal was purely on the grounds of cost.She added: "I'm very angry. As a former nurse I'm sure it's possible to transport the sample overseas."

Chief executive of Chorley and South Ribble Primary Care Trust, Judith Faux, said: "We are unable to comment on this individual case. However, such circumstances would normally require specific arrangements to be put in place which would be a matter for discussion and agreement between the relevant doctors."

Julie's two brothers, Stuart and Alan, have already been tested while visiting Paula, and were both found to be incompatible. If Julie is not a match, then her hopes rest on finding a match from the general donor register.

Julie lives on Pilling Lane with her partner, Tony Gaskell. Together they run the Filling Station sandwich bar in Pall Mall, Chorley.

"We have been forced to close the business for a week which will cost us over £1,000," she said.

"There is also the expense of flights and accommodation. Of course Paula comes first, I would do anything for her, but I just think things could have been made so much easier by the health authorities."

Julie has displayed a sign in the Filling Station's front window telling customers the business is closed for a week because she has been "refused" a blood test in the UK and has had to fly out to her sister.

Julie and Tony have also had to put their wedding on hold as a result of the expense. They were due to marry in Gretna Green in February.

Paula has lived in Lanzarote for the last five years and is a professional singer.

She retains British citizenship and was brought up in the Chorley area. Before moving to Spain, she performed hundreds of shows around the pubs and clubs of Lancashire.

Julie said: "I'm so close to her, we speak literally every day. She's a fighter and I know she will get through this."